Tina Amanda
Judgement has been reserved in the petition filed by the Governorship candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, in Rivers State, BIOKPOMABO AWARA, against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC; Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and it’s candidate, Governor Nyesom Wike.
While presenting his final address before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Emenike Ebete, Counsel to the Ist petitioner, Biokpomabo Awara, told the tribunal that AAC Governorship candidate had the lawful majority votes.
He urged the court to nullify the March 9th Gubernatorial Election in Rivers State and conduct a re-run as the electoral processes were not credible.
He also urged the tribunal to strike out all the pieces of evidence presented by the 2nd petitioner, AAC, stating that the 2nd petitioner cannot give evidence to support 2nd Respondent in the matter.
Henry Bello, counsel to 2nd petitioner, AAC, told the tribunal to dismiss the petition on the ground that the petition is based on falsehood, which he cannot be a party to while asking the 1st petitioner under which Party will he contest should there be a re-run.
2nd petitioner, however, urged the tribunal to rely on pieces of evidence given by prosecuting witness twenty-one (21) and twenty-two (22) which is veracious, adding that evidence of prosecuting witness twenty (20) through a video clip played before the tribunal clearly shows that March 9th Gubernatorial Election in the state was free and fair.
2nd Respondent, Governor Nyesom Wike’s Counsel ,Emmanuel Ukala, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, also urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition on grounds that the 1st petitioner only called four (4) local government area Collation agents out of twenty-three LGAs, fourteen (14) Ward Collation agents and no voter was called from any polling unit to witness.
He stressed that the result sheets tendered by the 1st petitioner did not indicate it was from a particular ward, adding that there is a foul play in the petition which does not meet the requirement of law as set down.
Counsel to INEC, Steve Adehi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition, stressing that the result tendered by INEC before the tribunal is authentic until 1st petitioner can prove it otherwise.
Our correspondent, Tina Amanda, said the leading panel led by Justice Kingsley Orjiako, after listening to the final addresses by the counsels, reserved ruling on the matter.
