Governor Al-Makura, Maku Know Fate Soon As Counsels Adopt Addresses At Tribunal

From Agabus Pwanagba, Jos – The Counsels to parties involved in the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lafia, the State capital have adopted their written addresses, preparatory to delivering of judgment on the petition filed by the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA), Labaran Maku in the April 11 2015, poll.

In his submission, Counsel to Maku, a former Minister of Information, Joe Gazama (SAN), argued that the petitioner deposited documentary evidence having presented 56 witnesses to substantiate its claims and was not contended by the parties, therefore urged the tribunal to nullify the result of the poll which declared as the winner, incumbent State’s Governor, Tanko Al-Makura and in turn, declared him the winner.

Citing the case of Dariye Vs PDP 2011, Gazama further submitted that the petitioner won with a far margin of 26,000 votes and argued that the election was not conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act (amended). He subsequently urged the tribunal to declare Maku the winner.

Maku’s Counsel also urged the tribunal to discountenance 50 percent of the written addresses adopted by the first, second and third respondents for not having seal and stamp on them.

Adopting his written address, Counsel to Governor Al-makura, Yusuf Ali (SAN) while urging the tribunal to dismiss the petition, submitted that the petitioner failed to proof his case and urged the tribunal to dispose the case in its entirety.

Citing CPC Vs INEC among others, Yusuf Ali submitted that the first respondent won only in 12 local out of the 13 local government areas, posited that it was ambiguous for the petitioner who just won 7.2 per cent in only one local government asking to be declared winner of the election.

On his part, Counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yusuf Usman also urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for inconsistence, submitting that the petitioner failed to proof allegations of decrease in votes, over voting, mutilation of votes, falsification of results and forceful declaration of results by INEC.

In his submission, counsel to INEC, Hassan Liman (SAN) submitted that the petitioner failed to produce witnesses in five LGAs of Wamba, Karu, Keffi, Toto and Nasarawa, also urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit.

He submitted that INEC produced ballot papers in six out of 10 local government areas less than 48 hours when it got Sopheana to do so and that INEC has the powers to create voting points, similarly urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for want of merit.

Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Halima Mohammed after all addresses have been adopted, informed the parties that a judgment day would be communicated to them on a later date.