From Yakubu Busari, Jos
Useni
The candidate for People Democratic Party ,PDP, Plateau State Governorship Election in March 9, Senator Jeremiah Timbut Useni has urged the Tribunal to declare him winner of the election considering the 9 local governments out of 17 were marred by irregularities , over voting and alterations electoral misconduct .
The Tribunal, which adjourned for the reserved judgment promised to be fair to all parties.
Useni had approached the Tribunal to declare him following the petition filed he filed at the Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Plateau State and presided over by Justice Halimat Saleeman .
The counsel to the petitioners, Chief Mike Ozekhome said that electoral process most be respected so that voters or the electorates voice will not be disenfranchised.
This is a process that can give hope to our democracy were voters votes shall be counted not the one presented.
Counsel to the 1st respondent, INEC, Barr Clement On told the tribunal that the final written address dated August 8, 2019 on behalf of the 1st respondent are adopted “ as our argument in the matter.”
INEC stressed that the address in their defence against this petition were adopted by asking the Tribunal to strike out the evidence of -PW71 who is a staff of the 1st respondent and that of PW1 in questions and answers during the cross examination in the governorship in Plateau state at there was enough evidence to show the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act.
Meanwhile, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the counsel to Governor Simon Lalong, who is 2nd respondent, said in their final written address dated August 8,2 019 that “we humbly adopt and rely on the process.”
He said: “The first point is that there is no point raised by the petitioners to warrant the cancellation of the election because of the electoral guideline was dully followed, so I submit that the petitioners failed to prove in any of the relief sought before now.
“We have filed an application seeking the Tribunal to strike out the entire complaint in respect of petition, we have about 742 polling units so to rely on 69 polling units is tantamount to allegations.
“We call that the performance of the petitioners is optimally very low so my I submit that the PW2 -PW71 which shows that their evidence be given any consideration for two reasons, citing the supreme court judgment.
According to him, most of the witnessed brought cannot speak in English Language which the interpretation made very difficult to understand. “They always say ,”Hakane ,Hakane ,so I call on the Tribunal to disregard their submission.s”
Counsel to the 3rd Respondent, APC, Garba Pwul ,SAN , said “we have argued challenging the entire petition also items regarding the admissibility of some documents that was raised in our prehearing where we rejected that some of them should be expunge .
“In our final written address dated August 8, 2019 we hereby adopt the address as our final argument in petition.
“We associate our submission with the 1st and 2nd , were our learned counsels raised fundamental issues of the 2nd respondent which give emphasis on his qualification and plead .
According to Pwul by all standard, Governor Simon Lalong is qualifed to participate in the election , the petitioners complaints of over voting , alteration are of no issue .
About 48 witnesses were presented to the election Tribunal base on this, we urged your Lordship to dismiss the petitioners petition for lack of merits.
