We Gave Our Protest Letters To Useni, As INEC, Police & DSS Evaded Subpoena In John Dafaan Suit
Yakubu Busari
Mahadi Mohammed Lamis entered docked to condemned told the court that all the factional group led by Useni came to him and he presented his legal team to prosecute the matter so their documents are still in the custody of the lawyers.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, the witness has challenged Senator Tunde Ogbeiha led caretaker committee for its inability to conduct credible Exco in Plateau State leading Sen. Jeremiah Timbut Useni to assemble a team of legal luminaries to defend the Congresses held in the state.
The PW1 stated that Sen. Jeremiah Useni brought them counsel as aggrieved members to challenge and we handed over all our protest letters to the lawyers at his residence.
The Counsel to the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Shendam , Quaan Pan, and Mikang Federal Constituency seat Hon.John Dafa’an has said that they have six (6) witnesses for the Wednesday sitting, but they have constrained on the subpoena issued to INEC,, Commissioner of Police, Plateau State that INEC is dodging and yet to get the documents required and is going to affect the three of his witnesses ..
He , however, presented one Mahadi Mohammed Lamis as the first witness marked as PW1 as the witness statement was front-loaded on page 32 of the petitioner’s reply.
Besides, lead counsel for the APC S.S.Obende told the court that Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, had consistently avoided being served with a subpoena for the production of documents even whence they served them at the headquarters and Plateau State respectively.
The PW1 told the court that he preferred to use Hausa Language instance of English which he is not too fluent as the witness confirmed that he is a resident of Kwalla where he voted in the 25th February 2023 general elections.
According to PW1, INEC conducted peaceful elections and described the exercise to be credible, While responding to the witness docked, Mahadi Mohammed Lamis told the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Pius A.Akubo that he carefully read the petition very well and the 2nd respondent replied in the petitioners replied .
The INEC lawyer N.A .Idoko couldn’t debunk the accusations labeled on the 1st respondent and said he was not in possession of the subpoena but would provide a copy.
Uzoukwu urged the INEC lawyer to ensure that the needful is done so as to continue with the proceedings the next day.
“This habit is showing that INEC ‘are only stalling the case. Obende explains that he would have only called six witnesses out of the number of witnesses he promised that he intended calling them to close his case within three days of the tribunal starting.
“I just want to make it clear that it is not correct that the INEC chairman and REC, Commissioner of Police have refused to respond to the subpoena. The chairman of INEC has no interest whatsoever. So it’s very unfair and uncharitable, he stated .”
Certified true copies (CTC) of IReV reports downloaded and certified by INEC, according to Obende , where he tendered in respect of three LGAs of Plateau State, and High Court Judgment between Bitrus Kaze , Appeal Court, and the Supreme Court judgment.
IREV reports of Shendam , Mikang, and Quanpan LGAs in the Plateau state
The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN)Akubo said some CTCs of blurred IREV reports linked to unidentifiable polling units in Plateau were part of the evidence.
The three witnesses in court confirmed to the court, they didn’t see the letter from the caretaker committee of Sen. Tunde Ogbeiha but they only heard on the news, however, whether the national working committee decided to extend their tenure, they told the Court that they’re not in the knowledge of knowing what transpired.
Also, PW2 Nobert D.La’angkwap who also lives in Kwande disclosed that he is a card-carrying member of PDP and vote at Angwa nMagaji Gari polling unit stresses that after casting his vote, he left the venue because there was a small breakdown of law and order at the collection center.
He also confirmed that the reports of Tunde were not made public to them so they were left in the dark by accusing the caretaker committee of being biased and he wrote a letter of protest to the LGA, State and national to challenge and condemned the unholy practice in a democratic setting.
F.O Shaibu while cross-examining the witness, he confirmed that as a card-carrying member of PDP the party couldn’t have structure and that was challenged in the recent judgments
The PW3, Mohammed Abdullahi, a resident of Shendam LGA told the court that he is a member of the PDP in Shendam LGA was disposed to a witness statement on oaths dated 2nd February 2023 that he couldn’t vote because PDP deprived him by keeping his voter card in their custody .
