PEPT: Court Adjourns, LP Reveals Plans on BVAS Forensic Examination

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja has been adjourned till Monday, the 22nd of May 2023.

The lead counsel to the Labour Party and Peter Obi, Awa Kalu, SAN, stated that it requires 7 weeks to give evidence to its case as stipulated by the Electoral Act 2022 and also revealed that it will present 50 witnesses who will testify for 30 minutes in court, excluding the time for any electronic demonstration of evidence.

“The Petitioners have required a total of 7 weeks under the law which we use. We have 50 witnesses. There is an order to carry out a forensic examination of BVAs but we have not been able to and we are also waiting on some of the documents we requested which is why we need 7 weeks.

“We have also agreed that the witnesses, classified as star witnesses will need 30 minutes to demonstrate any electronic evidence excluding the time for demonstration or evidence presentation.”
We will require a totality of our 7 weeks as allowed under the rules.”

This was, however, countered by Barrister A.B. Mahmoud, SAN, the lead counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who noted that there was no agreement between both parties. He revealed that he is committed to assisting SAN Livy Uzoukwu to sort out any issues on the petitions.

He suggested that the star witnesses should have 30 minutes of examination, 15 minutes of cross-examination, and 5 minutes of re-examination while other witnesses should have 10 minutes of examination, 15 minutes of cross-examination, and 5 minutes of re-examination.

Barrister Kalu, SAN, reiterated that the INEC is yet to allow an inspection of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, BVAS, as directed by the court.