Tribunal Adjourns For Judgment Lalong , Lar & Dafaan  Petitions, To Communicate Data To Parties

Yakubu Busari

The National, State Houses of Assembly election petitions tribunal has reserved judgments in the suit filed against the seat of  Plateau South Senatorial district where Former Governor Simon Bako Lalong of the All Progressives Congress, APC, against AVM Napoleon Bali of the  People Democratic Party, PDP, on the election of 25th February 2023 general elections.

The trial tribunal Chairman, Honourable Justice, Mohammed Tukur of the first three-man panel, told the counsels to the petitioners that whenever the judgment is ready parties shall be communicated.

They commenced the inaugural sitting at the west of mines before moving to the state High court premises after receiving almost 33 National, Federal House of Rep. including the state House of Assembly before the trial tribunal.

However, that of the House of Representatives of Shendam , Qua’anpan and Mikang Federal Constituency, Hon. John Dafaan of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is before the second panel of William Olumide challenging Hon.Isaac Kwallu of PDP was equally reserved to be communicated to counsels.

Before Justice Mohammed Tukur, Hon. Vincent Bulus Venmak of the APC  is contesting the votes cast in, Langtang North and South constituency declaring Hon. Beni Butmak Lar of the PDP that the lawful votes cast wasn’t the true reflection of the outcome of the election conducted.

Mr. Vincent who came second in the election and his party had filed a joint petition in March challenging the outcome of the February 25 poll.

Meanwhile, witnesses were called both from the Senate and reps seats including that of the houses of assemblies to prove their cases during the proceedings, star witnesses,normal witnesses respectively.

They are asking the court to nullify the Plateau South and Federal House of Representatives of the two candidates of the PDP and award the APC as the winners, over the alleged noncompliance to the electoral act on nomination and sponsorship of all the PDP candidates.

In their final written address dated 04/08/2023, where Lalong was the senatorial seat and Vincent Bulus, Hon John Dafaan   the petitioners insisted that Napoleon and Beni Lar , Isaac Kwallu were not qualified to contest the poll.

The petitioners had said, the winner of Plateau South, Langtang North, South, and Quaan-pan ,Shendam, and Mikang told the trial tribunal that the PDP winner was not eligible to run for the office of Senatorial district of Plateau south, two federal houses of representatives due to their noncompliance to the alleged judgments of State High, Federal, Appeal Court, and supreme court judgments.

The petitioners closed their case on August, after calling few witnesses.

At the court session on 2/8/2023 the petitioners as well as the respondents adopted their final written addresses

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) legal team led by Y.M. Sani prayed the court to dismiss the petition.

“We humbly submit that this petition is lacking in merit and should be dismissed,” Salisu said. Sunday Oyawole the 2nd respondent and J.M. Okafor urged the trial tribunal to dismiss the APC petitions with cost .

Edward Pwajok counsel representative of the APC, also prayed the court to allow the petitioners’ case and order the 1st respondent to pronounce his client the winners .

The three -member of and three panel of justices led Mohammed Tukur, William Olumide reserved judgment adding that a date would be communicated to parties.

However, the panel led by Justice William Olumide handled the highest numbers of petitions in the whole of Nigeria were he entertained 17 cases filed before him and admonished the petitioners and respondents of delivery judgments in the next weeks .

The second panel of Justice Mohammed Tukur now had few remaining matters before him as most the cases filed before him would soon be rounding up final written address’s.