Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo.
The Governorship tribunal sitting in Jalingo has adopted written addresses from both parties in the case. The New Nigeria People’s Party NNPP through it’s Counsel, Barr. Ibrahim Ishiaka (SAN), demanded the cancellation of the Taraba Governorship Results which took place in March 2023.
He said that the party presented valid evidence to convince the election petition tribunal to cancel the said result. According to him, the failure of the BIVAS to accredit voters was a clear indication that results declared from those polling units were null and void.
He aledged that some results were altered in favour of the PDP, adding that the results declared generally showed that there was over voting and called for the cancellation of the results.
He also recalled that INEC had already mentioned in its reports that collation was marred with violence caused as the result of gunshots between the Police and Nigeria Army.
He said that INEC was subjected to tension neccissating them to declare results.
On it’s part, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) asked the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by Professor Sani Yahaya and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) challenging the declaration of Dr Kefas Agbu of the PDP as the duly elected Governor in the March 18 governorship election in the state.
INEC said that the petition of the NNPP was not well founded and did not provide enough evidence to prove any irregularities during the election.
Counsel to INEC Emeka Okoro said that “Lawyers to the various parties adopted their written addresses and adumbrated as to why, on the part of the respondents, the petition should be dismissed and the petitioners have adopted and adumbrated as to why the petition should succeed.
“The position of INEC is that the petitioners did not do enough to challenge the presumption of irregularity that the petition enjoys. In addition, the petitioners substantially abandoned their petition, like what they are asking the tribunal to grant, is the alternative reliefs. In other words, they have expressly abandoned the main reliefs they are claiming. That one on its own shows that the petition is not well founded”.
In his submission, Lead Counsel to Agbu Kefas, Kanu Agabi (SAN) said the petition challenging the election of Agbu Kefas as Governor of Taraba State should be dismissed, since the petition was not supported by valid witnesses and facts that are authentic.
The tribunal is to fix date for the judgement and communicate the parties involved on a later date.