Mayaki Bala Vs Cornelius Dongnaan, Tribunal Adopts Written Address, Reserves Judgment

Yakubu Busari

The Plateau State House of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Jos on Tuesday has reserved judgment in a suit filed Mayaki Bala of the All Progressives Congress, APC, challenging the declaration of Hon Doeyok Cornelius Dongnaan of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, before the trial tribunal in Jos .

The petitioner’s counsel ,S.S.Obende told the trial tribunal that the petitioners filed his final written address dated 16/08/2023 and filed the same day .

Obende explained further the petitioners adopt the same as the final submission to the petitioners petition especially on the grounds of the petition to which issue one argued in the final address.

He submitted that the question as to whether the 2nd respondent was sponsored by the 3rd respondent should be answered in the negative.

The respondent failed to prove the fundamental of proof and for emphasizing paragraph 6 page 29 of the final address one failed to prove section 29 of the electoral act which is proof.

According to Obende , the 2nd & 3rd respondents speak on the point of law that was served on them this morning is an abuse of the electoral processes and the trial tribunal which failed short of paragraph 46 of 14 scheduled of the electoral act.

He stressed that this is because a reply on point of law is not an avenue and all submission in this regard has been captured in their final address so we urge the trial tribunal to discountenanced every issue.

The first respondent, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, adopted their final written address which was filed on the 9th Day of August 2023 as he adopted same.

According to 1st respondent, on behalf of the INEC, his submission was to serve as an oral argument and the petition be dismissed.

However, the second and third respondents filed their final written argument dated the 3rd Day of August 2023 which alloy that upon the service to them by the petitioner’s counsel they filed their own reply on 20/08/2023.

He adopted the two processes as an argument by urging the trial tribunal to dismiss the petition in its entities where he is seen as a gold digger for lacking in merit.

The Chairman of the Election Tribunal Honourable Justice, William Olamide has reserved judgment to be communicated to parties whenever it is ready.

Meanwhile, the second sitting was the Mangu North State constituency between Hon. Adamu Abdul Yanga of the APC against the returned member, Hon.Abubakar Sani of the PDP.

The first respondent INEC adopted the final written address on behalf of the client dated 30/07/2023 upon received of the petitioner’s final address, they filed replied on point of law dated 18/08/2023 and filed on 19/08/2023. We adopt this as the final submission and urged the trial tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit and also wasting of judicial time,I.A Dickson says.

The counsel to the 2nd & 3rd H.A.Panket Esq , said they have filed the written address on 3/8/2023 the same day but upon the service received from petitioners they filed replied on point of law on 19/08/2023 .

Panket explained that the respondents adopted both written addresses as arguments against the petition as he urged the trial tribunal to dismiss the petition as unwarranted and lacking in merit.

Saying that Paragraph 13 of the petition clearly admitted that the second respondent was a candidate of the 3rd respondent on their page 15 paragraph 5.5(1) where the petitioners emphasized on noncompliance to the court order.

The respondents argued that they have given ground for lack of sponsorship in the case Wambai vs Donatus, we relate judicial that we urge the trial tribunal to uphold firm to the authorities dated by the petitioners in exhibit 2R3,2R4 where the issue of order.

The petitioner Jim Gotom filed on 9/8/2023 and filed on 10/08 2023 and he adopted the same as their argument. The destiny of the petition is bright so urged the trial tribunal to grant all relief sought