Governor Sule closes defence at Nasarawa governorship tribunal

From Daniel Abel, Lafia

At the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Lafia, governor, Abdullahi Sule on Friday closed his defense in a petition filed against him by the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr.David Ombugadu

Out of the nine witnesses proposed by the second respondent to appear before the tribunal to defend allegation by the petitioner challenging the declaration of Abdullahi Sule as winner of the March 18th governorship elections, seven witnesses showed up with contradictory statements at variance with what was contained in their witness statements.

The witnesses called by Sule alleged that their scores in some Polling Units were either not collated at all or incorrectly collated into the Ward summary (Forms EC8B) of the corresponding Wards difference of which they claimed aught to have been added to their final score as declared by INEC although they did not file any cross petition.
In furtherance of his defence, Governor Sule (2nd Respondent) called additional witnesses who testified in the matter as RW15 to RW21.

In the course of cross examination by the Counsel to Dr. Ombugadu and PDP, IReV CTC copies certified by INEC and duplicate copies of the actual Polling Units results were tendered which were radically different from the set of Polling Units being relied upon by the 2nd Respondent in support of his claims.
When confronted with the actual results under cross examination, the 2nd Respondent’s witnesses admitted that the actual scores in the IReV CTCs and duplicate copies produced by the Petitioners were correctly entered to their corresponding forms EC8Bs for those units/wards contrary to the allegation of the 2nd Respondent.

During cross examination of the 2nd Respondent’s witness designated as RW14, one of the forms EC8As tendered by Sule was also shown not to have the name of the Presiding Officer and signature on it.

During cross examination of another 2nd Respondent’s witness – Yunana Fajemi designated as RW21, told the Tribunal that there was no actual cancellation of results in Lafia Local Government Area.
Earlier, Messrs Wole Olanikpekun (SAN), lead counsel of the second respondent tendered certified copies of some documents which included; form EC8BS for Shege 1 ward of Toto LGA, form EC8BS of Gidan Ausa 2 of Obi LGA.

Meanwhile, receiving the evidences from the witnesses, Chairman of the Tribunal Ezekiel Ajayi adjourned the sitting to August 30th