By: Kenneth Okonkwo Esq.

 

 

The 2nd (Tinubu) and 3rd (Shettima) Respondents opened their case at the Presidential Election Petition Court today, 5th July, 2023.

 

They tendered some of their ctc documents, including the claimed academic qualification from Chicago State University from the Bar, which the

Petitioners objected to, but which INEC unsurprisingly didn’t object to.

 

They were admitted in evidence. The Petitioners didn’t object to the ctc of INEC results tendered by the 2nd and 3rd Respondents in line with earlier agreement reached by all parties during the pre-hearing proceeding.

 

They presented their first witness, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, a Legislator & Lawyer, who also claims to be called to the New York, USA Bar and who identified all the documents tendered in evidence which he pleaded in his witness statement on oath.

 

They tendered ECOWAS Report on the election, and the Petitioners tendered the EU Report on the election. The ECOWAS Report tendered by the Respondents stated in paragraph 17 that the election was marred by violence and killing of Nigerians and Labour Party members.

 

He admitted that the money forfeited by Tinubu in the District Court of Illinois is from the proceeds of narcotics as written in the judgement and that the court relied on Money Laundry law to order the forfeiture of money by Tinubu. He admitted that he had never assessed the IREV Portal.

 

He confirmed that the Chicago narcotics case was not a money judgment, which the Petitioners averred is the only basis that would require the judgment to be registered in Nigeria before enforcement. He admitted that he didn’t file any evidence of his licence to practice in the USA as a Lawyer. He simply tendered evidence of his membership of the American Bar Association.

 

On the conclusion of his cross-examination, the 2nd and 3rd Respondents closed their case. The Fourth Respondent (APC) opened and closed its case without calling any witness. It relied on all the evidence adduced by the other Respondents.

 

The petition was adjourned to a date to be later determined, for the adoption of the written addresses of the parties.