Presidential Election Petition Tribunal Throws Out EU Election Observers Mission Report

The presidential election petition tribunal sitting at the Federal Court of Appeal in Abuja has made a pivotal decision by throwing out the post-election report of the European Union Election Observers Mission. The report was tendered by Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), as evidence in the ongoing case.

The tribunal contended that the document was obtained by the petitioners from a secondary source, which was certified by an individual who does not have the original custody of the report produced by the EU mission. In doing so, the court noted that the authenticity and reliability of the document were questionable.

This ruling came as a surprise since the original copy of the EU mission's report had been tendered by Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as evidence earlier in the case. It seems contradictory that the court would reject one copy while accepting another.

In another development, the election petition tribunal rejected the 18088 blurred results sheets submitted by the petitioners. The court held that these sheets were not tied to any specific polling units, which the petitioners failed to specify in their petition. Furthermore, the tribunal pointed out that the petitioners' claim of being unable to identify the affected polling units due to the blurred result sheets was unfounded.

The court revealed that one of the petitioners' witnesses had already produced a report in which he analyzed the same election results. This witness claimed to have sourced the results from the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) results viewing platform. Therefore, the tribunal determined that the petitioners' assertion of being unable to identify the polling units was disingenuous.

Moreover, the court highlighted the fact that the petitioners' agents had signed for and collected copies of the result sheets. Therefore, the petitioners cannot claim ignorance about the polling units affected and had consciously chosen not to specify them in their petition.

This ruling by the presidential election petition tribunal holds significant implications for the ongoing legal battle over the 2019 presidential election results. It reinforces the importance of presenting reliable and verifiable evidence to support the claims made by the petitioners.

It is crucial for Nigeria's democracy that these election petition proceedings are conducted transparently and impartially. The tribunal's decision to dismiss the EU mission report and the blurred result sheets signifies the importance of upholding the rule of law and ensuring that only credible evidence is considered in the dispute resolution process.

The outcome of this tribunal ruling will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of the case moving forward. As the proceedings continue, it is essential for all parties involved to adhere to the established legal processes and present compelling evidence to support their respective positions.

The presidential election petition tribunal's decision serves as a reminder that the strength of a legal case lies in the quality and credibility of the evidence presented. Ultimately, it is the duty of the tribunal to objectively evaluate the evidence and arrive at a verdict that upholds the integrity of the electoral process in Nigeria.

Source of content: OOO News 2023-09-06 News

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