Politics
PEPT: Court Admits Additional Video Evidence In Peter Obi Petition
The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in Abuja has accepted additional video evidence presented by Mr. Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
The video, stored on a flash drive, was presented by Ijeoma Osamor, the anchor of the Democracy Today program on AIT.
During the court session held on Friday, the video recording which was played openly after being admitted as an exhibit, was brought forward in response to a subpoena issued by the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel to Africa Independent Television (AIT).
In the video, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, can be seen addressing the press during a conference.
He assured that the results of the upcoming 2023 general elections will be transmitted electronically, utilizing Bimodal Voter Accreditation (BVAS) devices.
Subsequently, following the admission of the video recording as evidence, the court granted permission for the lawyers representing INEC, President Bola Tinubu, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) – who are respondents in the case – to cross-examine the witness.
During the cross-examination, Osamor clarified to the court that contrary to the positions presented by President Tinubu and the APC, the INEC Chairman did not declare before the elections that the results would no longer be uploaded.
However, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko, SAN, counsel for the APC, insisted that there was a newspaper publication supporting the party’s claim that the INEC Chairman had provided reasons before the elections as to why the Commission could not transmit the results.
During her testimony, the witness affirmed to the court that as a reporter assigned to cover INEC-related news, she had attended all press briefings conducted by the Commission.
She stated categorically that she never heard any announcement from Prof. Yakubu regarding the discontinuation of result transmission.
Furthermore, she informed the court that the publication referred to by President Tinubu and the APC, dated February 23, was likely a personal interview between the INEC Chairman and Tribune Newspaper.
This suggested that it might not have been an official statement or declaration made by Prof. Yakubu during a press conference or public event.
In the midst of the trial, all the Respondents raised objections to the admissibility of the video recording obtained from AIT as evidence. They expressed their intention to present detailed reasons supporting their objections in their final written addresses.
Earlier during the proceedings, Prof. Eric Ofoedu, a Mathematics professor from Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State, testified that he had analyzed some of the results of the presidential election that INEC had uploaded on its IReV portal.
During cross-examination, Prof. Ofoedu clarified that his analysis was undertaken as an academic exercise with the aim of benefiting his students, rather than for any particular legal or political purpose.
The witness emphasized that he did not receive any payment for conducting the analysis.
He further stated that he was subpoenaed to present the outcome of his analysis as evidence since his original intention was not to utilize the report for election litigation purposes.
However, the witness stood by his assertion that out of the 18,088 result sheets that INEC uploaded concerning the presidential contest, a significant number of them were blurred or lacked clarity.
The court adjourned the proceedings and scheduled further hearings on the matter to take place on Monday.
A former senator representing Sokoto East Senatorial District, Abubakar Umar Gada, has assured members and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the party remains strong and united in Sokoto State despite recent defections by some political figures.
Gada gave the assurance in a statement issued on Thursday in Sokoto, where he urged party loyalists to remain calm, focused and committed to the ideals of the PDP.
According to him, political defections are not unusual in Nigeria’s democratic landscape and should not be seen as a threat to the stability and strength of the party in the state.
SEE MORE: PDP’s Festering Crisis Chases Tambuwal to ADC
The former lawmaker stressed that the PDP still enjoys a strong grassroots presence in Sokoto, noting that the party’s structure across the state remains intact and capable of delivering electoral victories.
He explained that the strength of the PDP lies in the loyalty and dedication of its members, leaders and supporters who have remained committed to the party through various political challenges.
Gada also pointed out that politics allows individuals the freedom to make personal decisions, but maintained that the PDP as an institution remains resilient and firmly rooted in the aspirations of the people of Sokoto State and Nigeria.
He further disclosed that the party’s national leadership has already initiated measures aimed at strengthening internal unity and consolidating party structures across the country.
According to him, consultations and reconciliation efforts are currently ongoing among key stakeholders to address emerging concerns and reinforce unity within the party.
Gada noted that such engagements are designed to ensure the PDP moves forward with renewed focus, stronger unity and a clear commitment to democratic values.
He recalled that the party has successfully navigated several political challenges in the past and has consistently emerged stronger.
The former senator therefore urged PDP members in Sokoto State to remain steadfast and avoid actions capable of creating divisions within the party.
He also called on supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation and strengthen party structures across all levels as the party prepares for future political contests.
The lingering intra-party crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has forced senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal to dump the party for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Tambuwal, a former governor of Sokoto State, disclosed this in a resignation letter dated March 11, 2026, addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Tambuwal/Shinfiri Ward of Tambuwal Local Government Area.
The letter, which was made available to journalists on Thursday, said the decision followed consultations with his political associates and supporters.
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“After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my political associates and supporters, I have decided to resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party with immediate effect,” Tambuwal stated.
According to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, lingering disputes and leadership disagreements in the PDP made it increasingly difficult for him to remain in the party.
“The persistent internal crises, leadership disagreements and growing divisions within the party have made it increasingly difficult for me to continue my membership,” he added.
Despite leaving the party, the senator expressed appreciation to the PDP for the opportunities it gave him to serve in different capacities.
“I remain grateful to the party for the platform it provided me to serve Nigeria as Speaker of the House of Representatives and later as Governor of Sokoto State,” he said.
Tambuwal confirmed that he had joined the ADC alongside his political associates and supporters, describing the move as part of efforts to strengthen democratic values and provide a credible political alternative.
“My decision is guided by the conviction that Nigeria requires a stronger political platform built on integrity, accountability, inclusiveness and a clear commitment to national development,” he added.
Tambuwal served as Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015 before emerging governor of Sokoto State in 2015 under the All Progressives Congress (APC). He later defected to the PDP the same year and was re-elected governor in 2019.
After completing his second term in 2023, he was elected to the Nigerian Senate to represent Sokoto South.
His defection to the ADC is expected to alter the political dynamics in Sokoto State, where he remains one of the state’s most influential political figures.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has explained that the persistent crisis and legal disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party compelled him to defect to the All Progressives Congress.
The governor’s defection was formally announced on Monday by his deputy, Mani Mummuni, after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Gusau.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the move was described as a necessary step taken in the interest of the state and supported by political stakeholders across Zamfara.
SEE ALSO: JUST IN: PDP Crisis Deepens as Appeal Court Upholds Ban on Ibadan Convention
According to the statement, Governor Lawal had remained committed to the PDP despite the ongoing leadership crisis and had made several efforts to reconcile factions within the party.
However, attempts to achieve peace and unity reportedly failed, leading to prolonged legal battles.
The development followed a judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court.
The earlier judgment had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The governor was said to have informed political stakeholders during a series of meetings that he would make a final decision about his political future after the appellate court delivered its ruling.
Following the judgment, Lawal concluded that joining the APC would better position him to continue what he described as the “Zamfara Rescue and Rebuild Mission.”
His defection marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Zamfara State and could influence political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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