Leading legal counsel for Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), has vowed to expose the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for allegedly withholding crucial documents, alleging that the electoral umpire is likely attempting to manipulate the documents before releasing them.
In the three weeks given to his team to present their case, he claims that he would concentrate on the key witnesses in the case.
Uzoukwu said this during an interview with journalists Tuesday at the tribunal pre-hearing in Abuja.
“We have written five letters indicating to pay and that we’re ready to collect those documents. The letters were duly received and endorsed by INEC. Why are they telling lies to say that we couldn’t pay? This is very unfortunate.
“What about the documents we have collected? Don’t we pay for them? Of course, we paid for them and those ones were given to us but refused to give us others,” he said.
Obi’s lawyer also said his party would serve INEC a subpoena as soon as hearing resumes May 30 (a day after inauguration), to compel them to produce the documents.
The lawyer said his team will manage the three weeks allotted, by focusing on the most essential witnesses that would prove the case.
On consolidation of petitions, Uzoukwu explained that all three petitions will be heard together, but each one will maintain its identity.