The suspended Lamidi Apapa-led Labour Party National Working Committee (NWC) is concerned that the Appeal Court may reject the party’s appeal due to Peter Obi’s legal team’s inadequate reason for failing to offer sufficient evidence to back their charges in court.
In a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the party’s embattled national publicity secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, expressed concern about the party’s inability to pay INEC’s N1.5 million fee to obtain all the documents needed to pursue their petition against the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
On May 17, 2023, Mr Obi’s leading counsel, Mr Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, complained about INEC’s failure to provide electoral data for Rivers and Sokoto.
However, INEC’s lead attorney, Mr Mahmud, SAN, drew the court’s attention to Mr Uzoukwu’s letter, in which Mr Peter Obi and the Labour Party stated their inability to pay INEC’s fees for true certified copies of the essential paperwork.
Mahmud told the court that the Labour Party and Peter Obi’s solicitors left the meeting to identify relevant papers, delaying proceedings.
Arabambi stated, “Something happened in the election Tribunal yesterday; it is terrible that the lead lawyer will write a letter to INEC that they do not have N1,500,000 to pay, knowing fully well that the pre-hearing session will terminate on Sunday. Our petition would only be accepted if we acted.
“What were 13 SANs doing till April 17 when they were invited to visit INEC and collect all relevant documents only for their lead counsel to declare I could only get 30% of the documents requested?
The INEC-led counsel invited him on Friday, but he was at a party. They requested him to come on Monday and Tuesday, but they didn’t, so they came to court on Wednesday when Prof. Livy asked for an extension.
According to the electoral Legislation, the court determined yesterday that it will take 14 days. They also informed them that the court would not meet on weekends. On Thursday. Friday and Saturday.
“If Peter Obi cannot afford N1.5 million, Something is occurring.
“So how can we now work together, gather all these documents, and go to the hearing session because once we fail to overcome the hurdle of the hearing session our petition will be dismissed?”
