Tinubu, APC to file final address July 17

President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) will file their written addresses at the Presidential Election Petitions Cour…

Tinubu, APC to file final address July 17

President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) will file their written addresses at the Presidential Election Petitions Court on July 19 after closing their case.

A five-member panel of justices led by Justice Haruna Tsammani granted Tinubu and others 10 days from Wednesday to file their written addresses on the petition against Obi and LP, and PDP and Atiku.

The court also granted the petitioners (PDP and LP) seven days to reply while the respondents (Tinubu and APC) were given five days to further reply on points of law. 

The court informed them that thereafter a date for the adoption of their final written addresses will be communicated to them.

At the conclusion of the evidence of the star witness of Tinubu, Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Majority Leader, both Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) informed the court they won’t be calling further witnesses.

Tinubu and Shettima represented by Wole Olanipekun (SAN) called a sole witness, Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele to give evidence and tendered 18 documents before the court.

Under examination by APC counsel, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the witness testified that the LP’s forwarding letter for the submission of membership registration dated April 25, 2022, and its LP’s register of members for Anambra State, did not contain Obi’s name. 

He also testified that on the face of the forfeiture judgment of the District Court in Illinois, USA, it did not contain a conviction against Tinubu.

He also testified that as a long-standing associate of Tinubu, he knows him to be a Nigerian by birth. 

Court admits 18 exhibits from Tinubu

Meanwhile, the court has admitted additional 18 documents from President Tinubu in defence of the LP petition challenging the result of the February 25 presidential election.

The documents include a letter from former Inspector General of Police, Tarfa Balogun to the US Embassy in Nigeria dated February 3, 2003; a letter from the US Embassy dated February 4, 2003; and a bundle of Tinubu’s educational records from the Chicago State University certified by Jamar C. Orr, Associate General Counsel, Office of Legal Affairs, Chicago State University, Chicago. 

Other documents are data pages of international passports showing travels to the US from 2011 to 2023, the Labour Party (LP)’s forwarding letter for the submission of membership registration dated April 25, 2022; LP’s register of members for Anambra State, and a copy of the report of the Committee on the Location of the FCT and Historical Bureau.

Tinubu’s also tendered a copy of form EC8D for Kano State in respect of the presidential election of Feb. 25, 2023; acknowledgment copy of Shettima’s voluntary withdrawal of candidacy from Borno Central Senatorial District election dated July 6, 2022; judgment of the Supreme Court in SC/CV/501/2023 PDP vs INEC and 3 others delivered on May 26, 2023; copy of page 28 of the Nigerian Tribune Newspaper of 23rd February 2023; copy of page 27 of the Nigerian Tribune Newspaper of 23rd February 2023.