The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), claimed the petition of Professor Sani Yahaya of the NNPP at the Taraba Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was not well founded because they did not do enough in challenging any irregularities during the election.
Professor Sani Yahaya of NNPP is challenging the election of Agbu Kefas of the PDP in the March 18 governorship election.
In the sitting recently at the Magistrate Court, Jalingo, venue of the tribunal, parties to the suit have adopted their written addresses, preparatory to passing of judgment by the tribunal.
Counsel to INEC, Emeka Okoro said: “Lawyers to the various parties adopted their written addresses and adumbrated as to why, on the part of the respondents, the petition should be dismissed and the petitioners have adopted and adumbrated as to why the petition should succeed.
“And the position of INEC is that the petitioners did not do enough to challenge the presumption of irregularity that the petition enjoys. In addition, the petitioners substantially abandoned their petition, like what they are asking the tribunal to grant, is alternative reliefs. In other words, they have expressly abandoned the main reliefs they are claiming. That one on its own shows that the petition is not well founded”.
In his submission, Lead Counsel to Agbu Kefas, Kanu Agabi SAN said the petition challenging the election of Agbu Kefas as Governor of Taraba State should be dismissed.
He pointed out that the petition was not supported by valid witnesses and facts that are authentic.
On over voting, Agabi agreed that it was a corrupt practice which the petitioners were unable to establish.
Counsel to the petitioner, Ibrahim Isiaka stated that they relied on non accreditation of voters, improper accreditation and alteration of form EC8A as grounds for their petition.
He added that evidence from BVAS showed that the number of accredited voters were far less than votes cast for the PDP.
Isiaka said INEC ought not to have declared the governorship result in Taraba State since there were cases of shooting between the army and the police around the INEC office in Jalingo.
Governor Agbu Kefas witnessed the session accompanied by his deputy, Aminu Alkali, Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly John Kizito Bonzena, Secretary to the Government of the State (SGS) Gebon Kataps, Commissioners and party supporters.
