We May Deliver Judgment Soon– Kebbi Govship Tribunal Chairman
From Ayodele Ajoge, Birnin-Kebbi
Kebbi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday said it has concluded it’s hearing of the petition filed by Aminu Bande and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with petition marked Number EPT/BK/GOV/1/ 2023 challenging the victory of Governor Nasir Idris, Deputy Governor Abubakar Umar Tafida and All Progressives Congress (APC) and may deliver it’s judgement soon.
The tribunal chairman, Justice Ofem I. Ofem having heard both petitioners and the respondants counsels while concluding adopting of their final written addresses before his panel expressed his panel’s appreciation to all the counsels appearing before the tribunal panel for good conduct and character exhibited from the kick off of pre -hearing, hearing and adoption of final written addresses.
He said, ” having come to the end of hearing this petition today being Wednesday 28th September 2023, we want to assure you that we will put in our best to do justice to all.
“Equally, we want to urge all counsels to bear with us. We can call you at anytime to give our judgement within shortest possible time”, the tribunal chairman said.
The Petitioners had argued it’s case on three grounds, eligibility, election malpractices of 2nd and 3rd Respondents were not duly elected by the majority of the lawful votes casted on the 18th March 2023.
The Petitioners lead counsel Michael Kaase Anodoaaka, SAN told the tribunal that the matter was selected to today Wednesday 28th September 2023 for adoption of final written addresses of both Petitioners and the respondants.
He confirmed to the tribunal that petitioners have filed all their preliminary objections to the admissibility of all the documents of 3rd respondant sought to be tendered during their defense to the tribunal.
He said our objections papers was dated on the 24th of August 2023 and filed on the same day.
“Equally, we filed our final brief to the 3rd respondant on 23th August, 2023. We have filed an additional lists of authorities.. Equally, on the 24th of August we filed petitioners reply answers on point of law to all the respondents to petitioners final written address reactions”.
Michael Aondoka SAN, further submit to the tribunal that the arguments canvassed as petitioners is to expunge all the documents tendered by the 3rd respondant before the tribunal, saying the documents are not same as the ones he presented to INEC.
He said ” We adopt processes as our petitioners final written address as regards to this petition. After adopting all processes filed by the petitioners as their final written address”.
He urged the tribunal to declares the petitioners as the winners of the governorship election.
“We finally urged tribunal to hold and give judgement in favor of the petitioners,” Michael Kaase Anodoka SAN submitted.
The counsels to 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondants, Usman O. Sule SAN, for INEC, Yakubu Chinoko Maikyau SAN, for Gov. Nasir Idris, K. K. Elejah SAN, for Deputy Governor Abubakar Umar Tafida and Abdullahi Yahaya SAN for All Progress Congress (APC) confirmed to the tribunal that they received the processes of final written address and all preliminary objections filed by petitioners.
They also informed the tribunal that separately they all filed their own final written addresses and answers to the preliminary objections raised by the petitioners.
They said ” We humbly adopt same as our final legal arguments as regards to this petition as respondants in the the said petition.
“We urge the tribunal to dismisse the petition based on the arguments, authorities and judgement provided to tribunal to look at and act upon, as well to give judgement in favor of the respondants”, they said.
In addition, the 4th respondant counsel, Abdullahi Yahaya, SAN said he had filed an additional lists of authorities and with the most recent judgement delivered by Presidential
