Yakubu Busari
The Counsel to Rt Hon Ibrahim Baba-Hassan of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Barr. E.B Edet has called on the National and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Plateau state to dismiss petition filed by Hon Munnir Abubakar Barau of the People Democratic Party, PDP, for lack of merits as he has failed to prove his case.
The matter came up for adoption of final written address as the counsel to the first respondent Barr. Kalu C. Imo told the Tribunal he had his written address on behalf of Independent National Electoral Commission ,INEC, 1st respondent so ,my lord ,we adopt the affidavits which is dated 12-08-2019 with the same as legal argument.
Barr. Edet said, “I adopt the statement as response which is dated 27-08-2019 filed the same day, we also filed reply on the 12-08-2019 to the petitioners argument”.
Meanwhile, the APC counsel, Barr A.A Sangei in his final written address dated 12-08-2019, explained further that the issue surrounding the allegations of certificate forgery brought by the petitioners argument couldn’t be prove.
According to his argument, Rt Hon Ibrahim Baba-Hassan wasn’t found wanting nor was he convicted of the allegations so, he urged the Tribunal to dismiss petition filed by Hon Munnir Barau.
The petitioners counsel ,Barr I.G Shanding in his final written address filed on behalf of his client ,Barr Barau ,said they have about seven including their replied on point of law to the 1st,2nd ,3rd respondents dated 20-08-2019 was adopted as their final argument .
We have filed our reply on point of law to the second respondent which is dated 30-08-2019 and we also filed the petitioner’s final written address and our preliminary objections we adopt this.
He disclosed that in 2015 general election the 2nd respondent presented his alleged fake diploma certificate but in 2019 under form CF001 he didn’t submit the same certificate so he lies on oaths that the certificate isn’t forged.
The different in date of university of Jos, Senate approval is what made us to see the discrepancy in it ,he graduated in 2006 ,and the certificate read 2007 is not true so the strength of the petitioners is in the police report .
Shanding said, the 2nd respondent case is still pending before justice Musa Kurya of the federal High Court, Jos Division which is border on certificate forgery and the deputy registrar had come to confirm to this Tribunal that the diploma certificate is not originated them by disclaiming it.
However, Barr A.A Sangei drew the attention the attention of the Tribunal on the university of Jos deputy registrar who claims couldn’t be substantial with prove of evidence.
The registrar contradicted himself throughout his witness while on cross examination that he identified the 2nd respondent had his first, second and now PhD in the same university.
He presented Appeal Court and Supreme Court judgments as clear proof that the second respondent, Rt Hon Ibrahim Baba-Hassa
