By; ADAMA JOHN, Lokoja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, tendered electoral documents that are against the petition by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Murtala Ajaka.
The duo are challenging the election victory of Gov. Usman Ododo, whose election was declared after the November off-circle election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
INEC’s counsel, Uchenna Njoku, who stood in for Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, tendered the documents before the Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in far away, Abuja.
In the petition, INEC, Ododo and APC are listed as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.
Some of the documents tendered on Monday by the commission’s lawyer before the three-member panel of justices led by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, include INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of the Election; INEC Manuals for Electoral Officers and INEC Form EC8C.
Others include INEC Form EC8B; INEC Form EC8E; List of Accredited Agents for SDP; List of Accredited Ward Agents; Receipts of Payment for Forms, among others.
Having tendered the documents, Justice Birnin-Kudu admitted them in evidence and marked them as exhibits.
However, Njoku applied for an adjournment to enable the electoral umpire present its witnesses on the next adjourned date.
Granting the request of the counsel, the judge adjourned the matter until April 16 for continuation of hearing.
Earlier, Justice Birnin-Kudu, who observed that the SDP’s petition would elapse on May 29, said there was the need to amend the number of days earlier given for the 2nd and 3rd respondents to present their case and for the filing of the final written addresses of the parties.
He therefore, reduced the number of days to five instead of the earlier 10 days granted the respondents’ lawyers to present their case.
He assured that where five days would not be enough, the panel would not hesitate to give additional more days while he solicited the cooperation of the parties in this regard.
But APC’s counsel, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, pleaded with the tribunal not to reduce the earlier days given to prepare their defence.
Ukala, who pledged the cooperation of the respondents in ensuring timely completion of their case, pleaded that the order on the schedule for hearing should not be amended.
J.B. Daudu SAN led the team of Gov. Ododo’s counsels.
The panel, however, clarified that the amendment to the order was done off record.
It could be recalled that SDP and Ajaka had, on April 5, closed their case after calling 25 witnesses.
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