The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting at Makurdi Chaired by Ibrahim Mohammed, has adjourned to 14 and 15 July, 2023, for defence.
Legal fireworks in the Benue Governorship Election Petition Number EPT/BN/Gov/01/2023, between Titus Uba, (PDP) and Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Hyacinth Alia, Samuel Ode, (APC )resumed, with the petitioners calling all their five witnesses.
Uba, who came second in the March 18, 2023 Benue Governorship election, wants the Tribunal to void the return of Alia and Ode as Governor and Deputy Governor.
The petitioners are relying on documentary evidence to make their case and are asking the Tribunal to grant their 11 reliefs.
They are demanding that the Tribunal to hold that INEC violated sections 29(1) and 32(1) of the Electoral Act, insisting that the commission received the list of candidates from the All Progressives Congress and published the names of Alia and Ode as Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates when the stipulated time had elapsed.
They are also relying on the rerun primary election of the APC in some LGAs, following an order of the Court of Appeal, to prove that APC did not submit the list of candidates within the time allowed by the enabling Act.
Furthermore, the petitioners are alleging that the Deputy Governor Samuel Ode presented a false or non-existent document (Affidavit in support of personal Particulars) to INEC and had subpoena the commissioner at the Federal High Court Abuja, to testify.
The petitioners are therefore requesting the tribunal to void the votes scored by Alia/Ode (APC) and declare Titus Uba (PDP) Governor Of the State.
The respondents however want the petition dismissed for lack of substance.
They told the court during hearing that the petitioners themselves know that they cannot at this stage begin to ask for extension of time as they had already listed witnesses they would call during hearing and should not be allowed to change goal post mid-game.
The respondents then indicated that they will use 14 and July 15 to open and close their case.
(Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie)
