The Labour Party has called on the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, and APC to clear the air on the controversy surrounding the header on the Certified True Copies, (CTC) of the judgment as Nigerians deserved an explanation.
It said such sensitive document raised public curiosity and that of all stakeholders to the recent judgment of the PEPC, as it bore Tinubu Presidential Legal Team, (TPLT).
The party in a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Pastor, Obiorah Ifoh said Nigerians deserved to be told the strange circumstances that have drawn the ire of the public.
According to the statement by Pastor Ifor “Consequent upon the revelation that Certified True Copies (CTC) of the recent judgment by the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) had an imprint, ‘Tinubu Presidential Legal Team’ (TPLT) as its header, Nigerians are curious about such happenstance that has inevitably generated storm and controversy.
“The Labour Party was very disturbed by the delay in releasing the judgment expeditiously, only to be confronted with this befuddlement. The public is equally at pains trying to comprehend what is happening.
It said that “The onus of explaining and dousing the unfolding controversy rests on the PEPC and the TPLT, the imprint owners. Clearly, the header is not a watermark. We note that only some of the petitioners received the same version.
“In a highly contentious case with dire national interest and implications, confirming that the PEPC did not confer any advantage, rights, or privileges to any party is imperative.
The Labour Party said it was very expedient for the matter to be explained to Nigerians because “this development must be cleared up quickly to avoid conjectures and the belief that something untoward happened. This cannot be the case of another glitch.
The Labour Party pointed out that “the unsigned and undated statement issued purportedly by a senior counsel on behalf of the Tinubu Legal Team is misconceived and empty.
It said that while “The senior counsel claimed that the header is a watermark! “the Labour Party insisted that “It is not and can never be.”
The party explained that “Typically, a watermark is a faint imprint or design made on some papers during production and which can be seen when held up to the light. It helps in checking the genuineness of the paper.”
Pastor Ifoh in the statement said as far as the Labour Party is concerned, “the senior counsel is responsible for substantiating his claims and should not pass the buck to innocent parties.
“We of the Labour Party place it on record that the counsel who collected the judgment on behalf of our party and our candidate did so long after a representative of Tinubu Legal Team.
Meanwhile, “we call on the PEPC and APC to come clean on the CTC imprint and disclose whose imprimatur is inscribed on the entire judgment. Nigerians deserve the right to know and are demanding urgent answers.” The Labour Party maintained in the statement signed by Pastor Ifoh.
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