2023 Elections: Tribunal Admits Presidential Results from Seven States Tendered by Labour Party

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has accepted some presidential election results given by the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to support their petition against the victory of All Progressives Congress (APC) President Bola Tinubu.

Counsel representing Peter Obi informed the court in Abuja that he had a schedule of further evidence that they wanted to present to the court. He then submitted as evidence certified authentic copies of INEC election results from six Rivers local government areas (LGAs). He also delivered election results from Kogi state. The court also accepted the LP’s findings from Niger, Adamawa, Oyo, Bayelsa, and Edo states. The section also included extra certified authentic copies of election results from Niger’s Bida LGA and Adamawa’s 21 LGAs.

The Labour Party also presented further evidence from 20 LGAs in Lagos, where they argued their votes were under-counted. The affected 20 LGAs include Apapa, Lagos Island, Lagos mainland, Ikorodu, Amuwo Odofin, Ibeju lekki, Ikeja, Ifako- Ijaye, Kosofe, and Oshodi-Isolo.

Having presented its evidence from states, Peter Afuba, SAN, who is one of the counsel to the petitioner, applied that all the certified true copies of election results tendered as evidence in the court be taken as read.

Again, the counsel to the first, second, third and fourth respondents refused to give their consent, in view of their previous objections to the admissibility of the documents.

The Labour party and its candidate are challenging the victory of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25 election.