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Today’s Headlines:We’ll expose INEC -Obi’s lawyer;Obi to present petitions against Tinubu in 3 weeks

Election Tribunal: We’ll expose INEC, Obi’s lawyer declares

Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), the leading counsel of Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi has vowed to expose the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for allegedly withholding essential documents, alleging that the electoral umpire is probably trying to manipulate the documents, before releasing them.

According to him, he will focus on the most important witnesses in the case in the three weeks allotted to his team to present their 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.

Peter Obi to present petitions against Tinubu in three weeks

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has ordered Peter Obi and the Labour Party to present their joint petition against Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory at the 2023 election within three weeks.

The Tribunal also ordered the President-elect, Tinubu, to defend his victory along with the Independent National Electoral Commission within five days.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, issued the order on Tuesday while presenting the pre-hearing session report of the Tribunal.

Among others, Justice Tsammani ordered that Obi open his petition for hearing on May 30 and end same on June 23.

Recall that Obi, through his counsel, Professor Awa Kalu, SAN, had requested a period of seven weeks to establish their allegations against Tinubu’s victory.

The Tribunal said that it arrived at the decision because of the limited time within which the petition must be disposed of.

Meanwhile, the Tribunal has ordered the consolidation of the petitions so as to ensure an expeditious hearing.

2nd Niger bridge: Nigerians will remember Buhari when he leaves office — Soludo

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has said Nigerians will remember President Mohammadu Buhari legacies including the ongoing commissioning of the second Niger bridge in Onitsha and Ebele Ofunneamaka Okeke Federal Secretariat Awka respectively, when he leaves office May 29, 2023.

Soludo disclosed this visually, on Tuesday, in Onitsha during the official commissioning of the two above-mentioned Federal projects in Anambra State.

The governor said the Second Niger Bridge will attract more social-economic activities in the Southeast region.

He wished the President well as he prepared to leave office, come May 29, 2023.

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, who also commended the President, said his heart was full of joy and his eyes full of tears over the opening of the second Niger bridge, even though the Igbos did not vote for him.

“He asks for our votes and we do not vote for him and yet we have gotten a second Niger bridge. It is a thing of joy for me.

Police Kill Kidnap Suspect, Rescue 10 Victims In Benue

Benue State police command has killed a suspected kidnapper and arrested three others after a gun battle and rescued 10 kidnapped victims, including a nine-month-old baby, and a medical doctor with Federal Medical Centre in Makurdi who was taken hostage alongside his brother and driver.

The commissioner of Police, Okoro Julius Alawari disclosed that five suspects had been arrested in Otukpo local government area in connection with the murder of one Babatunde Moses.

According to him, “on 20/05/2023 at about 1345hrs information was received at Otukpo Police Division that an unknown corpse was seen at Edikwu river bank with internal organs removed and a team of detectives were deployed to the area for investigation

He said during investigation, it was revealed that the lifeless body was one Babatunde Moses aged 29 years who was last seen sitting with his friends in a burial ceremony.

“Suspects arrested in connection with the murder include; Idoko Omoru, Eze Emmanuel, Obande Emmanuel, Ameh Peter, and Sunday. Investigation is ongoing to unravel the mystery behind the death and removal of internal organs.”