Plateau Guber Tribunal Receives 298 Witnesses For Determination Of  Nentawe Suit

Yakubu Busari

The Plateau State Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Jos Division has front-loaded the lists of no fewer than 298 witnesses as the petitioners All Progressives Congress (APC) parade 170 while the respondent’s People Democratic Party,(PDP ) with 128 witnesses for the determination of the suit.

The prehearing session which has undergone a series of arguments from the petitioners and respondents respectively was adjourned to the 26th of June 2023, for the commencement of hearing into a substantive suit of the APC challenging the landslide victory of Barr.Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang of the PDP .

The Tribunal in Petition suit No: EPT/PL/GOV/03/2023 filed by Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Caleb Mutfwang , PDP was adjourned.

The Tribunal has also told parties in Petition No: EPT/PL/GOV/03/2023 and Petition No: EPT/PL/GOV/02/2023, filed by Dabwan Alfred Clark that sitting and hearing on the two petitions would be held from Monday to Friday and from 9.30 am to 4.00 pm, with a break time of one hour thirty minutes in between.

The Tribunal in its Pre-hearing report also told parties that, the Court has distilled 3 issues in Petition No:  EPT/PL/GOV/03/2023, filed by Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, for determination among other issues in the Pre-hearing report.

However, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda and the APC as Petitioners urging the Tribunal to compel INEC to make available the BVAS, and other materials used in the Governorship election in Plateau State.

There are also strong indications that the Petitioners may also be applying for Subpoena before the next sitting in this regard.

However, at the sitting and hearing of the Petition filed by Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda today, seek the leave of court on two Interlocutory Applications to be determine  and ruled upon by the Tribunal.

While the Application for additional witnesses by the Petitioners succeeded in part that filed by the 2nd Respondent was refused.

The Tribunal in its ruling on the Application filed by APC and Dr. Nentawe, to add more 4 witnesses held that, the names of two of the witnesses the Applicants intended to add could not be found in the Petition and on the witness’ statements hence, their inclusion was declined.

While the Interlocutory Application filed by the PDP was rejected because it was filed out of time as provided by the Act.