Tunde Oyesina 
The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal yesterday admitted in evidence a United States of America (USA) District Court judgment which reportedly indicted Bola Tinubu and ordered his forfeiture of $460,000 in drug-related offences.
The certified true copy of the judgment was tendered by a witness, Lawrence Nwakaeti at the commencement of hearing of the petition filed by the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the February 25 presidential poll Peter Obi against Tinubu’s victory.
Led in evidence by Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), the witness tendered the court’s judgment as part of requests by Obi and his party to get Tinubu’s declaration as the winner of the election nullified and set aside.
However, Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) announced that they had objections against admission of the judgment but reserved the objections to final address stage.
Under cross-examination, counsel for Tinubu Wole Olanipekun (SAN) admitted that the judgment was not registered in Nigeria.
Anambra State-based lawyer Nwakaeti, who was Obi’s first witness, also admitted that there was no certificate from any Consular in Nigeria or America in support of the judgment but insisted that “the judgment speaks for itself”.
He claimed to have been to the United States of America and read the judgment in its entirety adding that he would be surprised if no mention was made of $460,000 forfeiture.
Also under cross-examination by counsel for the APC Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) the witness said the American Court judgment had no certificate given under the hand of any American Police Officer.
He denied knowledge of a February 4, 2003 Formal Clearance Report by Legal Attachee from American Embassy in respect of the alleged indictment and forfeiture. When asked by Fagbemi to produce a copy of the charges against Tinubu, the witness admitted not having any but maintained that the indictment and forfeiture are from civil proceedings. The tribunal later adjourned further hearing till today.
