Tribunal reserves judgment on Plateau North Senate rerun election
By Agada Daniel, Jos
The Plateau Northern Senatorial district rerun election petition Tribunal sitting in Bauchi state, on Monday reserved judgment in petition filed by candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), Amb. Christopher Musa Giwa against Senator Pam Dachungyang Mwadkwon of Action Democratic Party (ADP) and others as parties adopted their final written addresses.
Recalled,the Petitioners (Amb.Giwa and APC) approached Tribunal in suit No:EPT/PL/SEN/01/2024 challenging the declaration of Senator Mwadkwon and ADP (1st and 2nd Respondents) by INEC (5th Respondent) as the winner of the rerun election held on 3rd February, 2024.
Other Respondents in the petition are; Yakubu Muhammad Shafiu, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, who are 3rd and 4th Respondents respectively.
Adopting their final argument, counsel to Amb. Giwa and APC, M.A. Tsua Esq told Tribunal that they filed on 25th May, 2024, while response to the 1st and 2nd Respondents brief on 2/6/2024, and that of 3rd and 4th Respondents was filed 8/6/2024. “We filed reply to the 5th Respondent on 7/6/2024.”
The counsel further stated that, they have filed on 2/6/2024, in response to the objection of the 1st and 2nd Respondents to the admissibility and evidence of PW2, Prof.Jeff Doki.
“We equally filed a reply to the objection and the admissibility of exhibits PW2 to PW8 and evidence of PW2 on the 7/6/2024. We filed additional authorities on 21/6/2024.
“We adopt same as our final submission, urging the Tribunal to discountenance objections of 1st,2nd,3rd,4th 5th Respondents, and grant all the reliefs sought by the Petitioners.”
Counsel to 1st and 2nd Respondents, S.G. Odeh Esq said they had filed 1/6/2024 as he objected exhibits PW2 to PW8.
According to him, PW2, Prof. Jeff Doki is incompetent witness. “All parties agreed that general elections was conducted by the 5th Respondent (INEC) on the 25/2/2023. The petition by the Petitioners to exclude 1st and 2nd Respondents at this stage is assiduity.
“I urged the Tribunal to resist such call and dismissed the petition with substantial cost for been frivolous in nature.”
Barr.M.S. Salihu, counsel to 3rd and 4th Respondents revealed they have filed and dated on 31/5/2024, saying they adopted same as their final submission on the petition.
He acknowledged that PW1 whether they are in court to interpret ,” the witness answered in affirmative.” Noting that “Section 134 of the electoral act 2022 as amended highlighted the grounds of elections and grounds of judgment.I urged the Tribunal to dismissed and give the petition a befitting burial. “
However, counsel to 5th Respondents, S. Oyawole Esq hinted they have filed on 1/6/2024. Filed objection to the admissibility of evidence of PW2 on 1/6/2024, and also on 14/6/2024 filed reply on point of law to the Petitioners admissibility of evidence and adopt same urging the Tribunal to dismissed the petition.
“I urged your Lordships to sustained the objection, reject the submission and expunge the evidence of PW2.”
The three- man panel of the Tribunal led by its chairman, Hon. Justice Cordelia Ogadi having heard submissions of all parties said the Tribunal will communicate them when judgment is ready.
