Gombe Tribunal Begins Hearing Of Respondent’s Witnesses

Kalshingi H Jedidah

Governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Gombe has today began hearing of  witnesses brought by the lead counsel to Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Barr Isiyaka Ibrahim SAN.

The tribunal headed by Justice Mohammad Sirajo which is presiding over court suit involving the governorship candidate of the  All Progressive Congress  (APC) Alh Inuwa Yahaya and Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) had earlier concluded its session of presentation and cross examination of the petitioner’s witnesses by both parties.

Earlier, counsel to the petitioner, Adeniyi Akintola SAN had tendered written statements on oath and certified true copies of the electoral documents to prove that, the 2015 governorship election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state was marred with irregularities.

Adeniyi in his submission had sought to prove through the witnesses that contrary to the figures announced and documented in exhibit AL ( Certified true copy), as regards to the number of accredited voters was less than the number of accredited voters found in the INEC data base.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the tribunal sitting, Adeniyi said, that the petition was trying to prove from the witness that there was over voting in the governorship election conducted in the state.

But lead counsel to the respondent, told journalists in an interview that, they have succeeded in showing the court that, there was no over voting during the governorship poll in the state. He said, “we took all the units one by one, we considered the number of people that were accredited and the number of votes casted, we were able to show that, for each of those units they were complaining, the number of votes did not exceed number of people that were accredited.”

He however disclosed that, unlike the petitioners, the respondent would only need one witness to prove their case before the tribunal. ” as far as I’m concern nothing has been done to affect the office if my client.” He added.