The ill-health of key staff in the secretariat of the Labour Party (LP) on Wednesday stalled the hearing of the petition the party and its presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi lodged before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), challenging the declaration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.
The five member panel of Justices of the court, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani had, on Tuesday fixed Wednesday for further hearings in their petition by 9 am and 2 pm for the hearing of the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, also challenging Tinubu’s election.
Obi and his party were expected to continue with the presentation of their case by calling more witnesses and tendering documents, for which the court allocated four hours to them.
When the petition was called on Wednesday morning, Counsel to Obi and the Labour Party, Awa Kalu (SAN) told the court that they had planned to start with tendering of documents, but are constrained by some challenges at their secretariat.
Kalu told the court that key staff of the petitioners took ill, making it impossible for them to proceed with the business of the day and prayed the court for an adjournment till Thursday.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), that of Tinubu and Kashim Shettima, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) for the APC did not object to Kalu’s request for adjournment.
Mahmoud however urged the court to record the day against the petitioners and deduct it from the number of days earlier allocated to them to present their case.
In his ruling, Justice Tsammani granted Kalu’s request for adjournment and adjourned till 9 am on Thursday.
The court will resume hearing in the petition filed by Atiku Abubakar and his party against Tinubu’s election latter in the day, by 2 pm.