INEC presents forms EC8A, EC8B, EC8C of nine LGAs to Kaduna tribunal

The Independent National Electoral Commission presented forms EC8A, EC8B, and EC8C of various polling units, wards, and Local Government Areas to the Kaduna Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in the state, on Tuesday.

The forms span wards in nine Local Government Areas of  Birnin-Gwari, Igabi, Kaduna North, Kubau, Lere, Sabon-Gari, Zaria, and Kudan respectively.

The tribunal, headed by Justice Victor Oviawe, had earlier ordered the Commission to bring before it the original copies of the said documents which include form EC8D of the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.

This was based on the application of the petitioners; People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the 2023 Governorship Election in the state, Hon. Isa Ashiru.

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In his argument, the lead counsel to PDP and Ashiru, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN,  challenged the authenticity of the results from 11 polling units in Birnin-Gwari, 20 in Igabi, 4 in Kaduna North, 44 in Kaduna South, 12 in Kubau, 9 in Lere, 8 in Sabon-Gari, 4 in Zaria and 5 in Kudan Local Government Areas of the state.

He noted during the court proceedings that some of the documents presented by the INEC were not original copies as requested.

Iyamu also prayed the court order to allow the original copies of the document to remain in the custody of the court, pending the time witnesses are in the court.

“The idea was for some of these witnesses to identify some discrepancies between the original, the certified copies, and the duplicates that were given at the time of the election,” he said.

But counsel to INEC,  Abdullahi Aliyu, SAN, objected arguing that for the original documents to remain under the custody of the court for more than 24 hours would amount to a breach of the law as provided by the electoral act.

The counsel to 1st (INEC), 2nd (Uba Sani), and 3rd (APC), in their submissions, equally argued that since the documents requested to be presented at the court by the INEC was a public document, hence the need for all parties involved to have the certified copies of the documents before presenting it to the tribunal.

They also, however, the counsels also objected to the admissibility of some of the exhibits presented to the tribunal by PDP and Ashiru’s counsel in nine wards spanning from Giwa to Lere LGAs.

Fielding questions from journalists shortly after the court proceedings, the counsel to incumbent Governor Uba Sani, Chief Duro Adeyele said, “Our ultimate prayer is that the petition be dismissed, and that is what we are here for.

“The reason for that is what we are going to present in our defense, and that is not for the press.”

After considering the submissions of both counsels by Justice Victor Oviawe led panel, the case has been adjourned till 12th July 2023 for the continuation cross-examination of the INEC witness.