The presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, respectively, have announced that they will be calling a total of 150 witnesses to testify in their petition challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.
Atiku’s lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), told the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) on Saturday that his client would be calling 100 witnesses, while Obi’s counsel, Dr. Awa Kalu (SAN), said his client would be calling 50 witnesses.
The witnesses are expected to testify on a variety of issues, including allegations of vote rigging, electoral fraud, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The PEPC has scheduled the hearing of the petition for July 18, 2023.
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The Petition
Atiku and Obi filed their petition challenging the outcome of the election on March 16, 2023. In their petition, they allege that the election was marred by widespread irregularities, including vote buying, ballot box snatching, and multiple voting.
They also allege that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to properly conduct the election and that the results were not credible.
The Witnesses
The witnesses that Atiku and Obi plan to call are expected to provide evidence to support their allegations. Some of the witnesses may include election officials, voters, and security personnel.
The witnesses are also expected to testify about their personal experiences with the election. This could include witnessing vote buying, ballot box snatching, or other irregularities.
The Hearing
The hearing of the petition is scheduled to begin on July 18, 2023. The PEPC is expected to hear testimony from the witnesses and to review evidence presented by both sides.
The PEPC is also expected to rule on a number of procedural issues, such as whether the petition should be consolidated with other petitions challenging the outcome of the election.
The Outcome
The outcome of the petition is uncertain. However, if the PEPC finds in favor of Atiku and Obi, it could overturn the results of the election and declare them the winners.
The outcome of the petition could also have a significant impact on Nigerian politics. If Atiku and Obi are declared the winners, it could lead to a change in government and a new direction for Nigeria.
