The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has closed its defence in a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the re-election of Governor Abdullahi Sule during the March 18 governorship election in Nasarawa state.
The INEC’s lead counsel, Ishaka Muddie Dikko, a senior advocate of Nigeria, made an application to that effect during the governorship election petitions tribunal sitting in Lafia on Friday.
Addressing the election trial court, Dikko told the tribunal that they had some documents to tender from the Bar to include form EC40 G (1) for 36 polling units of Ashige electoral wards and one polling unit of Gayam electoral ward, form EC40 G for all the 36 polling units of Ashige electoral ward, Lafia LGA.
Other documents are form EC8 B for Kanje/Abuni electoral ward of Awe LGA, form EC8 B for Gayam electoral ward, Lafia LGA, form EC8 B of Chiroma electoral ward, Lafia LGA, form EC8 C for 13 LGAs of Nasarawa state, form EC8 D which is a summary of results of all the 13 LGAs of the state and form EC8 E for declaration of election result as well as receipt for the payment of certification.
Dikko further told the tribunal that all the documents he sought to tender were in respect of the March 18 governorship election conducted in Nasarawa state and prayed the tribunal to admit them as exhibits in support of their case.
The counsel to Governor Abdullahi Sule, Adebayo Adelodun SAN, and Dr. Hassan Liman SAN, for the APC did not object to the admissibility of the documents while the petitioners’ counsel objected to the application.
Ruling on the application, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, granted the prayer and marked the documents as exhibits.
Later, Dikko reminded the tribunal that on August 16, he assured the tribunal that depending on the performance of the star witness of the prosecution, he would determine whether he would call a witness or not, saying after getting vital evidence from the PDP star witness, he applied to close their case.
Similarly, the counsel to the governor, Adelodu and Liman for the APC as well as the petitioners’ counsel did not object to the application as the tribunal chairman granted the prayer.
Thereafter, the counsel to the governor, Adelodu, applied that hearing on the matter be adjourned till this Saturday, August 19, 2023, to open his defence; an application that was granted by the chairman.
