The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has submitted what they described as a Certified True Copy of Data Contained in a BVAS alongside the receipt used during the March 18 Bauchi Governorship Election.
INEC presented the documents sequel to a second subpoena issued against it by the Tribunal on 3rd July 2023, after hearing the application to that effect by the lead Counsel to the petitioners, Hassan Liman, SAN.
He affirmed that the documents are Certified True Copies of information of accredited voters captured.
The Counsel to the second and Third respondents, Bala Mohamed and Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Chris Uche, SAN and Sylvester Shikyil, SAN, objected to the documents submitted before the tribunal, stating that they will give reasons in their Final written Addresses.
The three-man justices of the tribunal led by its chairman P.T Kwahar, admitted the documents in evidence and Marked them as Exhibits GGG 1-8.
The lead Counsel to the Petitioner Hassan Liman, SAN, thereafter told the Tribunal that, he has seven Witness to be called this Friday and Saturday.
This led to a heated argument between the petitioner and respondents’ counsel on grounds that, the petitioner’s counsel did not serve them with notice of list of the Witness 24 hours before presenting them for questioning.
The arguments continued temporarily and was later resolved after a stand down for 2:30min to allow the respondents go through the list of the Witness to be presented before the Tribunal.
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On resumption from recess, the lead Counsel, Hassan Liman, SAN presented Al-Mustapha Zubairu as a star witness, who has four depositions to a witness as stated in paragraph 1:21, number 206,209,Ec8a, b, c,e,
During cross Examination of the witness by the first, second and third respondents Counsel, on whether the star witness know the number of votes by various parties in Ec8e?
His response was in the negative. Asked how many local governments he visited as APC coordinator on the day of the election, he said three. He was also unable to present any copy of result declared by INEC.
Out of the seven Witnesses the petitioner’s counsel promised to present before the tribunal, only one-star witness was presented.
The lead Counsel therefore on behalf of the Petitioners team of lawyers closed their case.
The Tribunal therefore Adjourned the matter to July 12, 2023 for the respondents to Open their defense.
(Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie)
