Labour Party presents documents challenging Tinubu’s victory in 17 states

The Labour Party (LP) on Tuesday, tendered Forms EC8B from 17 states challenging President Bola Tinubu’s victory at the 2023 general election before the presidential election tribunal.

Counsel to the LP and Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the party, Ben Anichebe, spoke while tendering documents at the resumed hearing of the joint petition filed before the tribunal on Tuesday.

Forms EC8B are mainly election results from the ward level.

The documents were admitted as exhibits by the court.

The states are Adamawa (21 LGAs), Bayelsa (8 LGAs), Benue (23 LGAs), Kogi (21 LGAs), Nasarawa (11 LGAs), Niger (25 LGAs), Ondo (18 LGAs), Sokoto (23 LGAs), Delta (25 LGAs), Ekiti (11 LGAs), Imo (25 LGAs), Kaduna (21 LGAs), Oyo (27 LGAs), Cross River (18 LGAs), Edo (15 LGAs), Akwa Ibom (31 LGAs) and Lagos (20 LGAs).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), represented by Kemi Pinheiro, objected to the admissibility of the documents.

Mike Igbokwe, who represented President Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima, also towed the same path.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), represented by Lawan Yusufa, also raised an objection while all respondents said they would reserve their objections until the final address.

Further hearing in the petition has been adjourned to June 7.

Tinubu, the standard bearer of the APC, was declared the winner of the February 25 election with 8,794,726 votes.

The outcome of the election is being challenged by Obi of the LP, and Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The LP had said it would challenge Tinubu’s victory in only 18 states.