Kaduna State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has begun its inaugural sitting on the petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Hon Muhammad Isah Ashiru.
He is challenging the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) candidate, Senator Uba Sani as the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.
The tribunal is chaired by Justice Victor Oviawie with Justice K. Damlat and Justice N. Nonye as members.
At the inaugural sitting which took place at the Kaduna State High Court, Kawo, counsel to both the petitioners and respondents were present, while the chairman of the tribunal solicited for the support of all to ensure justice is served to all parties in the petition.
A former attorney-general and minister of justice, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN) led the legal team of the governor Sani and the APC while Samuel Atung (SAN) was the lead counsel to the PDP and Ashiru.
The PDP and its candidate’s counsel Atung (SAN) was however represented by Prof. Francis Kwede, the Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Jos.
Earlier in his inaugural speech, the chairman of the panel, Justice Oviawe, sought the cooperation of the Nigerian Bar Association and both counsels for speedy dispensation of justice in line with the provision of the electoral act.
He said the tribunal would be just, fair and do the right thing in the interest of the public while adding that five petitions were before the court for determination.
Ojo told newsmen shortly after the inaugural sitting that “today, we are here for the inaugural sitting of the tribunal as you heard the Chairman said and my response to that.
“We have pledged our cooperation to ensure that the sittings go very well, while we are going to defend our client to the best of our ability.”
On his part, Kwede said with the mood of the inaugural sitting, he was sure that the tribunal will ensure justice is served.
“From what transpired it is an inaugural sitting of the tribunal, I assure you that there will be justice. As members of the bar, we want to assure the public that justice will be served in this matter.
“In this matter, I have confidence that at the end, members of the public will see that justice has been done, at the end of the day justice will be done.”
It would be recalled that the PDP had challenged the victory of Senator Sani of the APC, claiming that the last governorship election was manipulated in favour of the incumbent governor.
However, the ruling APC had discarded the claims, saying that the election that brought in Senator Uba Sani was free, fair and credible and won squarely.
Meanwhile, in a petition submitted before the tribunal, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had invited the Kaduna State Governorship Election Tribunal to note a major constitutional error in the petition brought by the PDP challenging the outcome of the 18 March 2023 governorship poll.
It also insisted in its reply to the petition marked KPT/KD/GOV/4/2023 and filed on May 6, 2023, that incumbent governor and candidate of the ruling APC, Uba Sani, won the election fair and square and lawfully returned as the victor.
The reply of the commission contained both its preliminary objection to the petition brought by PDP and its candidate, Mohammed Ashiru, and point-by-point response to all the allegations raised by the petitioners, against the conduct of the poll and its final outcome.
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