PDP, APC Wait, as Tribunal Reserves Judgment in Suit Challenging Ganduje’s Election

The Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday reserved judgment in a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its gubernatorial candidate, Abba Kabir-Yusuf.

The PDP and Kabir-Yusuf are challenging the declaration of Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje as the winner of March 23 election.

Justice Halima Shamaki, Chairman of the tribunal after listening to the parties in the matter said that the judgment date would be communicated to them.

Shamaki thanked the parties for their cooperation and support to the tribunal for doing justice to all matters before it.

Earlier, Counsel to the INEC, Ahmad Raji, SAN, while adopting his final written addresses, prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit.

“A petitioner is to call direct evidence and not to document their story. The petitioners do have the burden that does not shift, the burden that does not admit in admission to prove his case’’.

Raji said that INEC was straight forward in discharging their duty on the objection to the exhibit tendered to the tribunal; the only latitude on the petitioner was to tender Certified True copy to the tribunal.

Counsel to Ganduje, Offiong Offiong, SAN, adopting his final written addresses, also prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition.

“We wish to elaborate our arguments in pages 26 and 27 paragraph 4.17 to 4.25 of the final written addresses’’.

He said that the exhibits of results tendered by the petitioners ‘pink copy’ are invalid, lacks merit and that the tribunal should dismiss the matter.

Counsel to the APC, Mr. Alex Eziyon, SAN described PDP’s petition as incompetent, having claimed by the petitioners that the lawful cancellation of 207 results was unjustifiable.

Eziyon told the tribunal that INEC has the power to cancel results or declare the winner at the collation center and urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition.

Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, who responded on behalf of the Counsel to the Petitioners, urged the tribunal to declare Abba Kabir-Yusuf of PDP winner of the election as the documents tendered by the respondents are in cooperation.

“PDP scored the majority votes in the election as at March 9, the governorship election was concluded and the result issued.

“INEC announced and refused to declare the result, the re-run election is null and void and no lawful vote came from the rerun election”.

Awomolo prayed for God’s divine grace and wisdom for the tribunal to do justice to all that were presented before it as arguments.