Abia State (Ikpeazu and Otti) tribunal hearing happening now

APPEARANCES (APGA): Lead counsel Chief Akin Olujinmi(SAN), Chief Awa Kalu(SAN)+ 65 lawyers
Chief Theo Nkeire is leading the Council for 1st Respondent Ikpeazu today and he is ably supported by Emeka Etiaba. The team introduction going on
Chief Paul Ananaba, SAN, lead counsel for the 2nd respondent is also present. Team introduction for the 2nd Respondent is going on now.
S.O Hagla Esq leading the 3rd respondent counsel for today is introducing his team now.
BUSINESS OF THE DAY
The Tribunal judge has just announced that the hearing proper commences.
Chief Olujinmi, counsel to petitioner has the floor now
Chief Olujinmi is making a request that the time for cross examination be extended beyond 3mins. He argues dat d time given is not realistic

The petitioner& the respondents are all trying to find a common ground on the time to be alloted in cross examining a witness
The judge has ruled that d examination of witness without documents is 5mins and cross examination of witness-in-chief while documents is 15mins
Chief Olujinmi now propose 30 minutes for chief witnesses that will not tender evidence, and 15 for cross examination
Emeka Etiaba proposes 30/30 minutes for chief witnesses without evidence.
Judge concludes on 20/20 minutes for each examination & cross examination of chief witnesses who will not tender evidence
For star witness, Chief Olujinmi says it must not be limited to those who contested the election, that he decides whom his star witness is.
The judge says the star witnesses must not be more than 3
Petitioner proposes 40 minutes for examination of star witnesses and 20 minutes for cross examination
Emeka Etiaba disagrees and says the time of examination should not be more than the time of cross examination
The judge has ruled a total of 20mins for examination and cross examination of witness(with documents)& witness-in-chief(with documents).
The judge now concludes 30/30 minutes for examination and cross examination of star witnesses
The final stand on that is that there's be 30' each for examination & cross examination of star witnesse
Emeka Etiaba raises a point & said 10 minutes should be added in the case of a witness that needs an interpreter & all agreed.
The judge rules that all CTC docs that are certified, listed and admissible, and INEC docs can be tendered across the bar.
Chief Olujinmi raises a point that INEC has not provided documents as the court ordered and Hagla says he should be specific
Olujinmi tells the court that INEC knows the documents that is needed. That they brought documents for presidential election
Hagla replies that INEC has complied, that P, 1st & 2nd R agreed that after the photocopy of ballot papers b4 INEC will certify
Emeka Etiaba confirms to the agreement, and the judge rules that INEC has complied
Olujinmi raises another point that PDP is using the joint inspection to slow down the process
The Petitioner Argues that INEC has not complied in the inspection and the judge orders INEC to produce all necessary documents. Olujinmi is also arguing that INEC should be given a limit
The judge calls on the petitioner to call on his first witness. Now the game has just began.
Olujinmi calls on the first witness. PW1 (363 - AAN) from Umuahia north LGA, a retiree, he swears to an oath.
Culled from Mary Ikoku's Facebook wall