The Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has reserved judgement in a petition filed the People’s Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, David Emmanuel Ombugadu, challenging the re-election of Governor Abdullahi Sule.
This followed the adoption of final written addresses by all counsel in the case during a sitting in Lafia.
Counsel to the petitioners, Chief Kanu Godwin Agabi (SAN), countered the respondent’s arguments.
He defended the witness statements of the petitioners, asserting that the witnesses were always available and relevant to the case even as he argued that polling unit results (Form EC8As) were the original, certified documents that should guide the tribunal’s decision.
Agabi averred that there were discrepancies between Form EC8As and other forms and called on the tribunal to focus on the documents themselves rather than relying on witnesses.
He urged the tribunal to declare the PDP winner of the election.
However, Agabi’s submission of the list of authorities in their final written address was objected by the respondents’ counsel who all argued that the document was submitted out of time.
Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, reserved ruling on the application to day of judgement.
Kanu Agabi having adopted their final written address, argued that the decision of the presidential election court does not inhibit the governorship election petitions tribunal on subpoenaed witnesses, saying INEC subpoenaed witnesses were advisories.
He told the tribunal that they filed a number of polling units results, maintaining that they contended the results of some polling units across the state, just as he explained that most of the documents tendered do not require testimonies of witnesses and urged the tribunal to grant their prayers.
Having listened to the arguments of both parties, Justice Ajayi reserved judgement on the matter.
