JUDICIARY
Obi, Labour Party to Call 50 Witnesses to Prove Petition Against Tinubu’s Election
The Labour Party (LP) and its Presidential Candidate Mr Peter Obi have told the Presidential Election Petition Court, (PEPC) that they will call no fewer than 50 witnesses to testify in their petition.
LP and Obi are challenging the election of Sen.
Bola Tinubu.Counsel to the petitioners, Prof.
Awa Kalu (SAN) said this on Saturday in Abuja at the resumed proceedings of the pre-hearing phase before the five justices of the court.“We still have a few hiccups at the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) because of the order of this court made on March 8, directing the commission to allow us carry out forensic investigation of BVAs which we have not been able to do.
”To this end, Kalu said that his clients would require seven weeks within which to present their petition in court.
The senior lawyer told the court that with regards to timing, his team was suggesting that 30 minutes be allotted to the witnesses classified as “star witnesses” to demonstrate any electronic evidence.
He, however, said that the 30 minutes excluded the time that would be used to demonstrate video evidence or any other electronic evidence.
“For this class of witnesses, they will be cross examined for 30 minutes by each respondent and re-examination will be for five minutes.
“In respect of other witnesses, we suggest 10 minutes for evidence-in-chief, 10 minutes for cross examination by each respondent and five minutes for re-examination.
“For the respondents, we suggest 20 minutes for the evidence-in-chief of their star witnesses, 30 minutes for cross examination and five minutes for re-examination.
“For their other witnesses, we suggest 20 minutes for evidence-in-chief, 15 minutes for cross examination and five minutes for re- examination.
He also suggested that where a respondent called a witness and other respondents wanted to cross examine such a witness, they would have to do so first before the petitioners take their turn.
Counsel to INEC, Mr Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, said his client who conducted the disputed election planned to call five witnesses to defend the election of Tinubu.
Mahmoud told the court that his team would require seven days to argue the case of their client.
He said that the commission was proposing 30 minutes for its star witness to give the evidence-in-chief, 15 minutes for cross examination and five minutes for re- examination.
“For the regular witnesses, we propose 10 minutes for evidence-in-chief, 15 minutes for cross examination and five minutes for re-examination.”
He opposed the suggestion by the petitioners that a separate time be given to their expert witnesses for demonstration.
He also said that he was not aware of any hiccups between the petitioner and the commission as was alleged by the counsel to the petitioner.
Mr Roland Otaru, SAN, arguing for Tinubu and Shettima said that he would call 21 witnesses to defend his clients challenged victory excluding expert witnesses.
He requested that all expert reports be front loaded to the respondents within 48 hours.
On timing, he suggested that 20 minutes be allotted to expert witnesses for their evidence-in-chief, 30 minutes for cross examination and five minutes for re-examination.
“For regular witnesses, we suggest 10 minutes for evidence-in-chief, 15 minutes for cross examination and five minutes for re-examination.
Otaru prayed the court to make an order that the schedule of documents to be tendered should be exchanged between parties before the hearing.
For his part, Mr Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC) said that his client needed only nine days to call its seven witnesses excluding subpoenaed witnesses.
He agreed with the report of Otaru with regards to timing for each witness.
He, however, said that the petitioners had front loaded only three witness statements and wondered why they would need 49 days to call three witness from only three polling units.
The Chairman of the court, Justice Haruna Tsammani, having heard all arguments urged counsels to meet and reach an agreement on the issue of consolidating the petition.
He adjourned the matter until May 22 for continuation of pre-hearing.
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that earlier, counsel to INEC had amongst others, moved an application for the court to strike out ground two of the petition.
NAN also reports that ground two of the petition states that the election of the Tinubu is invalid by reason of corrupt practices or non compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
Counsel to the petitioners prayed the court to dismiss the application for lacking in merit.(NAN)
From Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin
A 38-year-old pastor, Simeon Okehielem of the Synagogue Prayers Ministry has been arraigned before an Edo State High Court for allegedly raping a married woman, Isoken Vivian Aigbedo.
The pastor, who was accused of engaging in sexual relationships with married women within his congregation, was docked before the court in Benin City, on Thursday last week.
The charges against Pastor Okehielem followed a year 2022 incident in Uholor Community of Benin City where the cleric allegedly drugged and raped the woman leading to the birth of a child.
Recent DNA results reportedly confirmed the pastor as the biological father of the child, which prompted the Nigerian Police to re-arrest and formally arraign him.
The presiding judge, Justice Erhabor, granted an ex-parte order to remand the suspect at the Benin Correctional Custodial Centre for 14 days, pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ministry of Justice, Edo State.
The State Prosecutor, P.O. Odion told the court that the alleged offence occurred in February 2022.
Okehielem was slammed with two-count charge on alleged rape and administering a stupefying substance with the intent to commit a felony.
The charge sheet, marked Suit No: BLOD/2323M/2025, reads: “That you, Okehielem Simeon ‘m’, in or about the month of February 2022, in Benin City within the Benin Criminal Division, did rape one Mrs Isoken Vivian Aigbedo and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4, punishable under Section 5(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2021.
“That you, Okehielem Simeon ‘m’, in or about the month of February 2022, in Benin City within the Benin Criminal Division, with intent to commit a felony, administered a substance to stupefy one Mrs Isoken Vivian Aigbedo, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 256 of the Criminal Law of Edo State, 2022.”
Speaking to journalists after the court session, the victim’s legal counsel, Clinton Ogbebor, applauded the Police for its diligence.
“We are in court today over the alleged rape of my client, Mrs Isoken Aigbedo, by one Pastor Simeon Okehielem,” he said.
Ogbebor confirmed that the case file would now be forwarded to the office of the DPP for legal advice, after which the trial will proceed accordingly.
The development has stirred debates across Benin City, with residents and religious leaders expressing shock and calling for justice.
The case has been adjourned pending further legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution.
A Senior District Court 3, Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Thursday restrained Mr Aliyu Bello, the embattled Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, from presenting himself as Chairman or a member of the party.This followed a motion filed by Suleiman Turaki, Counsel to Ibrahim Iliyasu, the Chairman of APC in Gayam Electoral Ward of Lafia Local Government Area of the state.
Report says that on July 1, Iliyasu, alongside 13 other officials of the party in the ward, suspended Bello from the party over alleged anti-party activities. The order signed by Abdullahi Lanze, Senior District Judge of the court, stated that the prayer was granted after hearing the application presented by the applicant’s counsel.The order specifically restrained Bello, his agents, privies, supporters or any person acting on his behalf, authority, or direction, from presenting himself as a member or Chairman of the party.The court also barred Bello from issuing statements, carrying out functions, or acting in any manner whatsoever, through the media or otherwise, as a member or Chairman of APC.This would be pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice. (NAN). A 30-year-old unemployed man, Sadiq Usman, on Thursday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly parading himself as a military officer.
Usman is facing a two-count charge of impersonation.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Supol Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on May 24 at about 3.
30 p. m. at Alaba Rago Market area of Ojo, Lagos State.Ikhayere said that the defendant, who was unemployed, unlawfully had in his possession a Nigerian military camouflage uniform, cap, belt, and boots.
“He paraded himself as a member of the Nigerian Army and had in his possession two Nigerian Navy identity cards,” she said.
According to her, the defendant was arrested when he failed to give a satisfactory account of the items.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 77(a)(b) and 79(a)(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Section 77 stipulates a three-year jail term for anyone found guilty of impersonating a member of the armed forces or the police.
Section 79 stipulates two years imprisonment for unlawfully wearing the uniform of the armed forces.
The Magistrate, Mr Lateef Owolabi, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N150,000 with two reliable sureties in like sum.
He ordered that the sureties must show evidence of tax payments to the Lagos State Government.
Owolabi adjourned the case until July 1 for mention. (NAN)
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