The presidential and vice presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima, have closed their defence in the petition filed by Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP) before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT).

The petition challenges the outcome of the 2023 election.

During today’s proceedings, Tinubu and Shettima responded to the allegations raised by Obi and the Labour Party, stating that Obi, who allegedly wasn’t a party member during the last presidential election, was ineligible to contest the election under the Labour Party.

Their legal representative, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), presented the membership register and a letter from the Labour Party dated April 25, 2022, addressed to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as supporting documents.

Tinubu and Shettima argued that Obi purportedly resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on May 26, 2022, and joined the Labour Party (LP) on May 27, 2022.

They emphasised that the LP held its Presidential Primary election on May 30, 2022, where Obi emerged as the candidate for the general election.

Their counsel cited Section 77(3) of the Electoral Act, which required the submission of the comprehensive register of members to INEC 30 days before the presidential primary. Therefore, the register should have been submitted to INEC on or before April 30, 2022.

They contended that as of April 30, 2022, Obi was still a member of the PDP, and his name was not included in the register of members submitted by the LP to INEC.

In response, Obi’s counsel argued that he was indeed a member of the PDP when he contested the presidential election under the LP.

Although objections were raised by the petitioners’ lawyer, Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), the court admitted the documents as Exhibits RA17 and RA18.

The APC announced that they would not call any witnesses or submit any further documents in court, signalling the conclusion of their case.

Some of the documents tendered are as follows:

1. 1 CTC of Letter from the Nigeria Police to the United States Embassy, dated 3rd February,

2003.

2. 1 CTC of Letter from the United States Embassy to the Nigeria Police, dated 4th February, 2003.

3. 12 CTC’s of bundles of president Bola Tinubu’s Educational Record from the Chicago State University.

4. 6 CTC’s of president Tinubu’s immigration documents and US Visas.

5. 1 CTC of Report of the Committee on the Allocation of the Federal Capital of Nigeria.

6. 1 CTC of Form EC8D for Kano State in respect of the 25th February,2023 presidential election.

7. 1 CTC of Form EC8D(A) in respect of the presidential election of 25th February, 2023.

8. 1 CTC of Originating summons in SC/CV/354/2023 dated 28th February, 2023, filed by the AG’s of Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Sokoto

States

9. 1 CTC of page 35 of ThisDay Newspaper dated 5th March, 2023.

10. 1 СТС of frontpage and page 5 of ThisDay Newspaper of 17th February, 2023.

11.1 CTC of page 2 of Sunday Sun Newspaper of 19th March, 2023

12. 1 CTC of page 28 of Nigerian Tribune Newspaper of 23rd February, 2023.

13. 1 CTC of Page 27 of The Punch Newspaper of 3rd March, 2023.

14. 1 CTC of Pages 1 and 7 of The Nation Newspaper of 3rd March, 2023.

The tribunal has directed parties to file their final written addresses, as the date for adoption will be communicated to them