Petitioners against the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory at the February 25, presidential election are bringing their matters to a close by this weekend. The Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) on Wednesday closed it’s own case after calling its only witness and tendering seven documents.

The other two parties challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) verdict on the 25 February,2023 presidential election; The Peoples Democratic party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP ) would close their cases on Friday.

Next week Monday, it would be the turn of the respondents in the three cases namely; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Kabiru Masari would open their defence in the three cases.

On Wednesday, APM called its only witness, Ms. Aisha Abubakar, the party’s Assistant Welfare Officer to testify in its case against INEC, APC, President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima and Alhaji Kabiru Masari.

Ms. Abubakar informed the court that she was not a staff of INEC and could, therefore, not be privy to when INEC received notice for substitution for the APC Borno Central Senatorial seat for the second respondent.

Under cross examination by lead counsel to the APC, Prince Lateef Fagbemi Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ms. Abubakar confirmed to the court that she was aware of the Supreme Court judgement in a suit between the PDP and President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima.

Shown a copy of the Certified True Copies ( CTC) of the judgement, Ms. Abubakar confirmed that it was the CTC of the judgement which Prince Fagbemi thereafter tendered in evidence. Although APM’s lead Counsel, Mr. G. A. Idiagbonya objected to the admissibility of the document, it was admitted by the court.

Counsel to President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, asked the witness whether she went through her party’s petition which she answered in the affirmative and confirmed that APM was challenging the victory of President Tinubu because the fourth respondent (Vice President Shettima) who was a senatorial candidate of the APC in Borno Central Senatorial district of Borno state.

The learned silk asked her to read some portions of the judgement which described the PDP appeal as lacking in merit and thus dismissed. In his cross examination, counsel to the fifth respondent, Chief Yomi Aliyu SAN asked the witness whether his client, Alhaji Kabiru Masari contested the 25 February,2023 presidential election a question she responded to in the negative.

Mr. Idiagbonya thereafter tendered seven subpoenaed documents. The Presiding Judge, Justice Haruna Tsammani ordered APM to file their written address within 10days while respondents should file their written address after receipt of the address.

Also on Wednesday, the court directed the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) to come to court on Thursday to continue its case which closes on Friday.

The Labour Party (LP) on Wednesday tendered additional six documents and called three subpoenaed witnesses. The documents tendered and admitted are total number of registered voters and PVC collected in 32 states,CTC of certificate of compliance in respect of Edo state, CTC of Supplementary iReV copies of three LGAs of Benue state, Supplementary iReV report for Cross River state in respect of two LGAs.

Others include iReV reports in respect of Lagos state in 12 LGAs and CTC of complementary copies of iRev report in one LGA in Gombe state.

The case was adjourned to Thursday .