How Lalong Supporters Overrun Guber Tribunal Sitting, Clashed With PDP Supporters In Jos

Yakubu Busari

The Plateau state Governor Simon Bako Lalong yesterday  stormed the State High Court where governorship election tribunal is adopting its final written addresses.

The Governorship Elections Tribunal in Plateau state was overran by the All Progressive Congress supporters who came to witness the final written addresses slated for judgment.

The tribunal venue was full to its capacity with PDP and APC supporters all over the court premises   to listen to   the final argument from their counsels, which include food vendors, groundnut sellers and fruits who were busy entertaining the people who are hungry.

It was gathered the PDP and APC supporters clashed at the tribunal premises while chanting their party slogans.

The counsel to PDP /GNS Pwajok, Chief Robert I. Clarke, SAN  in his final written addresses pointed out that INEC gave them fake documents .

Chairman of the Tribunal Justice Johnson Candade applauded that what is happening between the two counsels where lawyers put aside their differences after the sitting by embracing each other, as he said it is part of the practice of law profession, as learned members we always argued and put the best of our writs, he said.

Counsel for APC urged the tribunal chairman to dismiss the petition of PDP / GNS Pwajok for lack of merit. He said whether we all agreed or not the petition that the entire evidence is been laid by the petitioners failed short of law, even as he said INEC had since declared that Governor Simon Lalong was duly elected in the April elections.

According to him he said that the petitioners failed to call witnesses to testify, and that the failure to call shows that the first respondent admitted the outcome.

The third respondent filed a petition to transverse participates in the examining of the especially PW 15 and elicited evidence through cross examination and discredited all the witnesses called;   the petitions that was held by adhoc constitute evidence call by respondent.

He cited Omisore and others vs Aregbesola reported by the 2015 monthly Supreme court pages 1-15, that has extracted evidence through the witness and INEC in Osun, he stated that here is INEC is sitting as 3rd respondent.

He stressed that the action prove that the nature of appellant seeking the understanding which pen for declaring relief ,urging the Tribunal to carefully examine about a mire consequence to the relief.

He submitted that a petitioner should base on her written address not to over depend on the failure of witness to deliver his address.

The burden of dependent failure, submit that petitioners has to success on credible evidence, all the witnesses failed woefully with a greatest respect by declaration made by 3rd respondent was done according to the provision of the electoral act.

Clark, SAN, said that the party failed to produce witnesses because that case is judge on minimal push .The second issue made renowned that they have challenged the law, however, Justice Candade sued for the understanding of supporters to it as part of legal work.

He said the motion dated 31 June was filed on the same date, and as such there is no need to consider it because there is no petition.

The lawyers emphasize more on PW 15 pursue of the petitioners as he said that the issue  lack merit so there is nothing to consider on oath which relies on the evidence with requirement of criminal allegation as it was never agreed that the election was depreciated by irregularities .