The planned commencement of defence by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) was stalled this morning owing to the absence of its first witness.
INEC, the first respondent in the petition by Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP), was scheduled to open its defence today.
At the mention of the case around 9:30 am, lawyer to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) , told the court that although his client plans to call three witnesses within three days, the one slated for today is unavailable because of some family issues.
Mahmoud then applied for an adjournment till Tuesday to enable the witness attend court.
Lawyers to other parties in the case – Livy Uzoukwu (SAN) for Obi/LP, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettma, and Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) – did not object to the request by Mahmoud.
Ruling, the Presiding Justice, Justice Haruna Tsammani adjourned till Tuesday by 9am for hearing.
The court has risen but with a promise to return at 2pm for the petition by Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).