Cecilia Onah, Lafia
The ongoing Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Nasarawa State on Wednesday, admitted more documents against the victory of the incumbent Governor, Abdullahi Sule, in the 2023 governorship election in the state.
This development has caused panic in the camp of the All Progressives Congress in the state as members of the party had been anticipating victory for the Governor.
The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Dr. David Ombugadu, who is the petitioner in the case, had dragged Governor Sule of the APC to court after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared him winner of the election.
At the continuation of hearing in Lafia, INEC produced additional documents through its representative in pursuant to the subpoena issued by the tribunal and served on INEC upon the application of Counsel to the petitioner, Jibrin Samuel Okutekpa, SAN.
The INEC representative, a Deputy Director of Software and Training, Ama Ibom Agwu, who appeared as PW20, representing the Director of ICT, INEC Headquarters Abuja, told the Tribunal that they produced a certificate of compliance, forms EC8A, iREV copy report, forms EC8A for LGEA primary school Kurikyo, Bakin Rijiya polling units in Lafia Local Government Area of the state.
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Earlier, Okutekpa told the tribunal that the presentation of the key documents by the INEC Director of ICT was necessary because INEC was responsible for conducting the governorship election in the state.
He further appealed to the tribunal to allow him present one final star witness who is already prepared to testify, adding that the presentation of the star witness will mark the formal closure of PDP’s case at the tribunal.
On their parts, the respondents Counsels, Adebayo Adelodu, SAN for Governor Sule; Ishaka Dikko, SAN for INEC; and Rotimi Ogunwoso, SAN for APC, all informed the tribunal that they would respond properly in their final written addresses.
After listening to the INEC representative and all the Counsels, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, admitted all the documents presented at the tribunal, marked them as exhibits and adjourned the continuation of hearing of the matter till August 17, 2023.
