**** as PDP tenders witnesses evidence
Governorship election tribunal sitting in Lafia, the Nasarawa State Capital Wednesday admitted in evidence documents brought before it at the resumed hearing in the State by the petitioners witnesses.
This is even as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC rejected its documents tendered by the petitioners witnesses.
The tribunal, at the resumed hearing delved into the conduct of the election, as the parties involved presented their arguments during cross-examinations.
Counsel to the petitioner, Samuel Okutepa SAN had applied to present more witnesses to confirm and tender their documents as evidence in pursuant of the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the PDP, Dr. Emmanuel Ombugadu challenging the declaration of Abdullahi Sule as winner of the governorship election in Nasarawa State.
Adopting their documents, the PDP agent for Akuza polling unit in Ashige electoral ward of Lafia local government area, Mr James Obed and that of Toto local government area, Ibrahim Musa prayed the tribunal to accept their documents as evidence of what transpired during and after the election in their respective areas.
While cross examining the two witnesses, counsel to the first respondent, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Ishiaka Dikko (SAN) objected the documents tendered by the witnesses and reserved his reasons for his written address.
Also, counsels to governor Abdullahi Sule, Hassan Liman (SAN) and that of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adebayo Adelodun while cross examining the witnesses objected their documents and reserved their reasons for written addresses.
The tribunal Chairman, Justice Ezikiel Ajayi after hearing from the parties involved marked the evidence as exhibits.
In his presentation earlier, head of INEC’s ICT, Mr Godwin Udo Idiong, testified before the tribunal, insisting that the election was fair and in substantial compliance with the commission’s guidelines and electoral law.
The focal point of contention however was the number of Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines provided by INEC.
According to Idiong, out of the 218 BVAS machines demanded by the tribunal, the commission only produce 207 for Ashigye and Ciroma wards. When questioned about the remaining machines, Mr Idiong explained that three of them had no registered voters, and eight were snatched away during the election.
Chairman of the three man panel of justices adjourned sitting to 15 August, 2023 after listening to all parties as well admitting documents tendered by the petitioners witnesses from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
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