Kalshingi H Jedidah
Governorship election tribunal sitting in Gombe had yesterday adjourned hearing into court suit involving governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Alh Inuwa Yahaya and Alh Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to Monday 3rd August 2015 for continuation hearing.
The Tribunal which is headed by Justice Mohammad Sirajo had earlier listened to eight witnesses brought before it by the petitioner. The witnesses whose statements contained information that were made available by the APC agents claiming that the last gubernatorial election conducted in the state were full of irregularities.
The petitioner earlier sought for orders by the tribunal to conduct forensic examination and inspection of electoral materials which was already granted by the Tribunal.
Speaking to journalists in an interview on the ongoing inspection exercise, counsel to the petitioner Ayoola Ajayi stated that, their men were already in the field conducting the inspection exercise.
The petitioner’s counsel who accused the INEC for noncompliance to court orders, admitted that the INEC was now complying those orders, even though he said, they were yet to get all documents from the
INEC, but were hoping to get them before court resumption day. Counsel to the INEC Yahaya Dandana also told journalists in an interview that, The INEC should not be seen as preventing any inspection of electoral material. According to him, the reason why the petitioners were unable to carry out the inspection earlier as ordered by the court was as a result of the differences emanating between the parties, even as he said, the same exercise was ongoing and that INEC deserve commendation for releasing the documents.
“Sequel to the court order some of the parties were of the opinion that the order when it comes to implementation needs interpretation of the court and for those period that the interpretation was being sought, there was no inspection going on and unfortunately, the petitioners went on addressing the press that the INEC prevented them from carrying the lawful order of the court. But currently the inspection is ongoing but the petitioner failed to inform the tribunalthat they now have access to the materials and that inspection is ongoing, “Dangana added.
While commenting on the court adjournment, the INEC counsel said, The pace at which the tribunal was moving was the prerogative of the petitioners, “they could as well have brought 30 witnesses to court and as time permits we could but we were discharged to go and attend to other needs of the day perhaps for them to also attend to other things and when they are ready we continue,” he stated.
