The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), at the ongoing election petition tribunal on Monday in Kaduna, presented forms EC8A, EC8B and EC8C of various polling units, wards and local government areas to the tribunal.
The forms comprise Birnin-Gwari, Igabi, Kaduna North, Kubau, Lere, Sabon-Gari, Zaria and Kudan local government areas.
The tribunal had earlier in its sitting on Monday ordered the Commission to bring before it the original copies of the said documents, including form EC8D of the 23 local government areas of the state, based on the application of the petitioners, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and it candidate, Hon. Isa Ashiru.
In his arguments, 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.
Though, during the court proceedings, the lead counsel noted that some of the documents presented by the INEC were not original copies as requested.
Iyamu had also sought for 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, saying, “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.”
In his defence, the counsel to INEC, Abdullahi M. Aliyu, argued that for the original documents to remain under the custody of the court for more than 24 hours would amount to a breach of law as provided by the Electoral Act.
The counsel to 1st (INEC), 2nd (Uba Sani) and 3rd (APC), in their submissions, argued that since the documents requested to be presented at the court by the INEC is a public document, there was the need for all parties involved to have the certified copies of the documents before presenting it to the tribunal.
The counsels to the respondents 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 local government areas.
Chief Duro Adeyele, the counsel to Governor Uba Sani, said that their ultimate prayer was that the petition be dismissed, and that was what they are in the tribunal for, while speaking to newsmen shortly after the court proceedings.
He added, “The reason for that is what we are going to present in our defence, and that is not for the press.”
The case was adjourned to Tuesday, 11th July for the continuation of the presentation of other documents by the INEC after considering the submissions of both counsels by the Justice Victor Oviawe-led panel.
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