Kemi Pinero, counsel to the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), says the Labour Party (LP) is unnecessarily stalling the
presidential election petition tribunal.
INEC announced Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) winner of the presidential election on March 1.
Dissatisfied with the results, Atiku Abubakar, presidential
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi, presidential
candidate of the LP, headed to court to challenge the outcome.
Speaking during proceedings on Wednesday, Livy Uzoukwu, lead
counsel for the LP, said the office of the INEC chairman has refused to supply
the party with documents requested for evidence.
“The office of the
INEC chairman has consistently refused to comply with providing documents even
with the subpoena issued, in spite of the efforts of the bailiff,” Uzoukwu
said.
He noted that he had met with the INEC lead counsel but did
not have a copy of the subpoena to hand over at the time.
“I intend to send it to him once I’m done with this
proceeding. I’m confident that he will do the needful for us to continue
tomorrow,” Uzoukwu added.
However, Pinero dismissed Uzoukwu’s comments, saying it was
a tactic to adjourn the proceedings.
Pinero said there was no subpoena issued, adding that INEC
had adequately responded to subpoenas issues by other parties and had no reason
to neglect the LP.
“A subpoena was not refused. PDP served subpoenas and we
have responded to that. It is clear that
this is becoming a habit that they (LP) like to whip, it’s a pattern,” Pinero
said.
“Don’t use INEC as a whipping board, if they (LP) have
nothing else to do they should just say it. We are not going to oppose your
adjournment.
“This habit is
showing that you’re only stalling the case. You’ve only called two witnesses
out of the 50 witnesses you said you would call and it has been two weeks since
tribunal started.
“I just want to make it clear that it is not correct that
the INEC chairman refused to respond to the subpoena. The chairman of INEC has
no interest whatsoever. So it’s very unfair and uncharitable.”
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