In a significant development in the ongoing legal battle, President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima presented compelling evidence on Wednesday, challenging the membership status of Peter Obi in the Labour Party (LP). The duo submitted a copy of the LP’s Anambra State membership register, aiming to establish that Obi was not a registered member of the party during the last presidential election.
In response to a petition filed by Peter Obi and the LP, President Tinubu and VP Shettima asserted that Obi’s candidacy in the previous election was invalid due to his alleged non-membership in the LP at the time. Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), the legal counsel representing Tinubu and Shettima, tendered the LP membership register alongside a letter dated April 25, 2022, which was sent by the LP to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The documents were presented during the commencement of the defense proceedings before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC). Despite objections raised by Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), the lawyer representing Obi and the LP, the court admitted the documents as Exhibits RA17 and RA18, acknowledging their relevance to the case.
The submission of the LP membership register and accompanying correspondence serves as a critical piece of evidence in the dispute, as it aims to establish the veracity of President Tinubu and VP Shettima’s claim that Obi was not qualified to contest the previous election on the LP’s platform due to his alleged non-membership.
The legal battle surrounding Peter Obi’s LP membership status has attracted significant attention, with implications for the validity of his candidacy and the outcome of the previous presidential election. As the defense proceedings continue, all eyes will be on the PEPC to determine the impact of this latest evidence and its potential consequences for the parties involved.
