Following the ongoing governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lafia the state capital; two PDP’s witness from Toto Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday told tribunal that the governorship results of the area was doctored in favour of Gov. Abdullahi Sule.
The candidate of PDP at the 2023 elections has presented two witnesses to prove that the results of Toto LGA was altered in favour of APC candidate.
Ombugadu of PDP presented two of the witnesses at the resumed hearing at the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribuna.
The witnesses which were marked as PW-18 and PW-19, tendered their PVCs, agent cards and PDP membership cards and were examined and cross-examined by the counsels.
They both identified some exhibits which had been tendered to the tribunal and claimed it was not the true reflection of the results from polling units.
Earlier, counsels to Gov. Abdullahi Sule, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Wole Olanikpekun (SAN), Hassan Liman (SAN) and Ishaku Dikko (SAN) objected that the two witnesses should not be allowed to testify.
There objections was on the ground that they were not served with the schedule of the witnesses by the petitioner as stated in the Electoral Act.
The argued that it is a mandatory requirement of the Electoral Act that they must be served with such schedule, otherwise that would amount to springing up surprises.
On his part, Samuel Jubril-Okutepa (SAN), petitioner’s counsel argued that the pre-hearing report did not make any such provision schedule of witnesses mandatory.
The tribunal overruled the respondents on the fact that the need to make progress should not be sacrificed on technicalities.
After listening to the witnesses, the
Chairman of the three-man Governorship Election Petition Panel, Ezekiel Ajayi, therefore, adjourned the sitting to Wednesday, Aug. 16 for continuation of hearing.
Recall that the candidate of the PDP, Mr David Ombugadu, is challenging the victory of Gov. Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the governorship election conducted on 18 March 2023.
