Mr. Kenneth Okonkwo, a member of the Labour Party (LP), has strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its failure to commence its defense at the presidential election petition tribunal on Monday.
Taking to his Twitter handle, Okonkwo suggested that the electoral commission may have experienced a “technical glitch,” resulting in the absence of its witnesses.
Abubakar Balarabe Mahmood, SAN, the commission’s lead counsel, informed the court of his intention to present three witnesses to counter the allegations made by the LP and its Presidential candidate, Peter Gregory Obi.
However, Mahmood expressed disappointment that none of the witnesses were present in court due to personal reasons. He requested the court’s understanding and sought an adjournment to present his defense.
Reacting to this, Okonkwo criticized INEC’s inability to present its defense, referring to it as a waste of resources. He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government of raising fuel prices to levels unaffordable for ordinary Nigerians.
He wrote, ”Today (sic) was slated for INEC to open their case at the Presidential Election Petition Court. Not surprisingly, they failed to produce any witness, claiming their witness disappointed them. Must INEC continue to have a “technical glitch” even in their own case? What a waste of fuel, which this APC government has raised beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians like us. The petition is adjourned to tomorrow, July 4 2023, for the continuation of the hearing.”
