Governor Douye Diri, his deputy, Lawrence Awhrujakpo and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday closed their defence at the Bayelsa State Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja.
The decison was reached after the Justice Adekunle Adeleye-led tribunal adjourned the matter to April 22, 2024 for adoption of addresses.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, is challenging the outcome of the November 11, 2023 gubernatorial poll in the state at the tribunal.
Diri, his deputy and PDP are respondents in the matter.
At Thursday hearing, the respondents witnesses, while testifying before the tribunal also tendered several electoral documents in evidence.
Governor Diri’s witness, Mr Gesiye Isowo, identified himself as the Secretary of the PDP in Bayelsa state.
Among exhibits he tendered before the tribunal included his party membership card and his Permanent Voters Card.
Diri, through the witness, also tendered in evidence, the official result of the election as well as the final declaration of the result, which were contained in INEC’s forms EC8D and EC8E.
The governor equally tendered INEC’s forms EC8B and EC8C.
While under cross-examination, led by counsel to the petitioners, Mr Sylvester Elema, SAN, the witness told the tribunal that he registered and voted at Unit 9, Ward 10 in Kolokuma/Okpokuma LGA.
“There was restriction of movement on the day of the election. I did not go to Nembe, Ogbia and Southern Ijaw because of the restriction, but I had agents in all the polling units. I was in constant touch with my agents in all the LGAs,” he told the tribunal.
When asked if it was true that the National and State Assembly elections held in the state in February and March 2023, the witness said he was in court only with respect to the governorship election.
“I am not INEC. If you ask about my party’s primary, then I should know,” he added.
The petitioners had contended that voters registers that were tendered in evidence and marked as Exhibit R1- R19 by the tribunal, which was generated on January 25, 2023, were only used for the National Assembly election and not governorship poll.
However, in his evidence, the witness insisted that the registers were used for the governorship poll.
Next sitting has been fixed for April 22, 2024 for parties to adopt their final briefs of argument.
