₦airaland Forum

Election Petition Tribunal of the last governorship elections in Delta state, sitting in Asaba, has dismissed the prayer of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from giving oral evidence before the election panel.

Olorogun O’Tega Emerhor, who was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the April 11 poll, is contesting the declaration of Okowa, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the poll, by INEC, as the winner of the governorship election.

Okowa, who is the first respondent, his party, the PDP, and INEC have moved three motions before the tribunal, seeking to stop the electoral umpire from giving oral evidence, aside tendering documents relating to the poll.

The Justice N.U. Gunmi-led three-member tribunal had, on August 12, 2015, issued a subpoena to the Head of ICT Department in INEC and INEC to appear before the tribunal to give evidence as requested by Emerhor and the APC, who are the petitioners.

Counsel for Okowa, Alex Iziyon(SAN), the lawyer representing the PDP, Mr. A.T. Kehinde(SAN), and D.D. Dodo, who is the counsel for INEC, had objected to the subpoena and the official giving oral evidence before the panel.

In three motions before the tribunal, the respondents had argued that the petitioners were looking for a way of bringing in additional witnesses, which were not pleaded in their petitions, a move that would contravene an earlier ruling of the tribunal on August 5.

Kehinde, who is the counsel for the PDP, had said the petitioners’ prayer was “a surreptitious way of bringing in additional witnesses, which would be contrary or set aside the ruling of the tribunal on August 5, which refused the petitioners’ application to bring in additional witnesses”.

Counsel for the APC and Emerhor, Mr. Thompson Okpoko(SAN), had argued before the tribunal that the objection of Iziyon and Kehinde amounted to “crying more than the bereaved”, as the subpoena was not issued to either Okowa or the PDP.

Ruling on the three motions on Friday, Justice Gunmi agreed with Okpoko that the subpoena to the INEC was not the business of Okowa or the PDP.

“The first respondent (Okowa) and second respondent (PDP) were not served the subpoena and have no right to complain about and cannot dictate which witnesses to call to prove their case,” the judge added.

In dismissing Okowa’s motions, the tribunal chairman said the subpoena issued to INEC was for the concerned official to give both oral evidence and tender relevant documents before the panel.

“The sum total of what we have been saying is that the respondents/applicants have not shown any good reason why the subpoena issued on the 12th of August in this petition should be set aside. They have not shown that it was issued without jurisdiction.

The following two tabs change content below.



For more News please visit www.watchdog.net

Ok

It's Lady F again

The Urhobos should leave our Okowa alone OR ELSE...

Ugomba:
The Urhobos should leave our Okowa alone OR ELSE...

Else wat are they not the one's that gave him the most number of votes, way more than dat of the d alomas nd are the only one in that state sef nawa u o. Romatotor
Buh on a Lighter note I think you guyz should loosen up on this "they are all our enemies and they don't lyk us". There is not even a single thread of development on going in Delta state where we xchange meaniful ideas just as there is 4 Anambra,Enugu(big fan nd silent follower)
It think it's high time we started building the bridges that connects our diverse intrest,ideology nd culture, fostering unity then we can have a "model state" for the entire nigeria nd Africa indeed , a prosperous Delta for all.
Truly the big heart

I dey fear my head ooi

darfay:
Else wat are they not the one they gave him the most number of votes, way more than dat of the d alomas nd are the only one on that state sef nawa u o. Romatotor
Buh on a Lighter note I think you guyz should loosen up on this "they are all our enemies and they don't lyk us". There is not even a single thread of development on going in Delta state where we xchange meaniful ideas just as there is 4 Anambra,Enugu(big fan nd silent follower)
It think it's high time we started building the bridges that connects our diverse intrest,ideology nd culture, fostering unity then we can have a "model state" for the entire nigeria nd Africa indeed , a prosperous Delta for all.
Truly the big heart

What are u saying about the Urhobos?pls be careful.

darfay:
Else wat are they not the one they gave him the most number of votes, way more than dat of the d alomas nd are the only one on that state sef nawa u o. Romatotor
Buh on a Lighter note I think you guyz should loosen up on this "they are all our enemies and they don't lyk us". There is not even a single thread of development on going in Delta state where we xchange meaniful ideas just as there is 4 Anambra,Enugu(big fan nd silent follower)
It think it's high time we started building the bridges that connects our diverse intrest,ideology nd culture, fostering unity then we can have a "model state" for the entire nigeria nd Africa indeedl , a prosperous Delta for all.
Truly the big heart

U have just spoken like an illiterate.

Dennikki2020:
What are u saying about the Urhobos?pls be careful.

Bros no vex o. Am actually isoko myself nd I think u misunderstood wat I typed was actually suing for peace nd the nid to work 2geder

[quote author=Dennikki2020 post=37236991]U have just spoken like an illiterate.[/quote
Q