Presidential Tribunal Admits Obi, LP’s Video Evidence Despite INEC, APC’s Objections

The Presidential Election Petitions Court has admitted video evidence of the Labour Party (LP) and Peter Obi challenging the result of the February 25 presidential election.

A five-member panel of justices presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani Friday admitted the videos but declined to have it being played back due to the objection by the respondents.

The video contained in flash drives were live interviews of Channels TV granted to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmoud and a commissioner, Festus Okoye confirming the paramount role of the BVAS for the 2023 general elections.

A subpoenaed senior reporter with Channels TV, Lucky Obewo-Isawode, adopted his statement on oath and the flash drive.

However, counsel to INEC, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN); President Bola Tinubu and VP Kashim Shettima, Akin Olujinmi (SAN); and the APC, Afolabi Fashanu (SAN) all objected to the admissibility of the video evidence.

They contended that the content of the videos and the station that made them were not front-loaded to enable them to prepare for the cross-examination.

But counsel to LP, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) maintained that subpoenaed witnesses can testify on the orders of the court l, adding that denying him would be against a fair hearing.

Meanwhile, the court shifted the playback of the videos to Saturday.