The poor pedigree of Obi’s legal representatives at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal where he is challenging the victory of president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has provoked doubts about his seriousness to reclaim his self-awarded mandate despite finishing in third position at the polls.
Nigerians, and indeed a large chunk of Obi’s supporters, were shocked to see unknown quantities in Obi’s legal corner, despite previous boasts of securing the services of ‘world class’ legal representatives, including one Natalia Veselnitskaya who was reportedly making her way from Russia.
Contrary to what was promised, Obi’s legal challenge now appears to be led by the likes of Kenneth Okonkwo, the Nollywood actor who was recently suspended by a faction of the party. He happily shared photographs of himself in court ostensibly to help guide Obi’s legal quest which has already been denounced by experts as lacking in evidence and unlikely to succeed.
Whereas Okonkwo may have made a name for himself in the film industry with consistent appearances in local movie productions, he presently lacks any reputation in the legal field, especially in election matters. His lack of experience and excessive showmanship are unlikely to be an asset at the Election Tribunal where the judges have already made clear their intolerance for time-wasting gimmicks and technicalities.