Guber Election Tribunal: PDP set to close case as star witness Appear against Engr Sule

 

By Dauda Omaku

 

LAFIA —THE People’s Democratic party (PDP) on Wednesday disclosed that it will close evidence submission in the case brought before the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Lafia, the Nasarawa State.

 

In doing this, the party sought the permission of the tribunal for the appearance of its allow star witness.

 

Lead counsel to PDP and its candidate, Emmanuel David Ombugadu, Samuel J Okutekp (SAN) restated that the INEC Director of ICT should present certified documents, including Form EC8A, Form EC8B, during the tribunal sitting as it will aid the tribunal and the petitioner to fairly dispense justice.

 

Okutekpa (SAN) said the presentation of the documents by the INEC Director of ICT was necessary since the director was

summoned to present critical documents used in the election.

 

Okutepa while tendering the documents before the tribunal made a graphic presentation of the Form EC8 series of documents for all the 13 local government areas in Nasarawa state by way of certified true copies of INEC manual, Regulations, and Guidelines for the 2023 General Election, a set of certified true copies of seven form EC8B.

 

Critical documents and certified copy of Form EC8A, which contained electoral records from affected polling units in Lafia Local Government Area, were also tendered and admitted by the tribunal.

 

While assuring the court of his availability whenever required, the INEC Director of ICT represented by the Deputy Director INEC ICT, Ama Ibong Agwu received no objections from the respondents – INEC, APC, and Engr AA Sule.

 

After the Highlight of the critical point in his case, Okutepa appealed to the tribunal to allow him present one final star witness prepared to testify adding that the presentation of the star witness will mark the formal closure of PDP’s case and expressed his readiness for the final address.

 

In defence,the first,second and the third Respondents (INEC, APC and Governor Sule counsels respectively raised no objections to all the documents tendered.

 

The tribunal then adjourned the sitting to August 17, 2023 even as the turn of events became heightened among observers as the tribunal listens to the defence by the APC and its candidate