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AS Kogi State Gubernatorial Election Tribunal reconvenes this week,
it is likely to commence the recounting of the March 29, re-run
election ballot papers as requested by the ANPP gubernatorial
candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu. The leading counsel of the
petitioner, Dr. Alex Izinyon at the last adjournment, prayed for the
recounting of the ballot papers and the Tribunal upheld the prayers
despite objection from the lawyer of the Independent National
Electoral Commission that the materials are bulky.
Prince Audu who was defeated in the keenly contested election is
challenging the results of the re-run election on the premise of
allegations that it was fraught with irregularities.
The Tribunal which had played host to about 192 witnesses called by
the petitioner went on a two-week recess to enable lawyers to
participate in National Law Week.
The Graphic gathered from the office of INEC National Electoral
Commission (INEC)’s office in Lokoja that three trailer Trucks would
be required to move the ballot papers to the State High Court
Complex, the venue of the Tribunal’s sitting.
Though INEC authorities had initially said it had no such vehicle to
move the ballot papers to the venue of the sitting, the petitioner
was said to have agreed to provide nine trucks with close monitoring
of combat-ready security agents.
The Tribunal therefore agreed that the disputed results in 18
council areas must be recounted.
If the Tribunal keeps to its resolve to recount the votes, our
correspondent gathered that it would be done in the chamber in the
glare of counsels of the parties involved in the case, security
agents and journalists.
Dr. Izinyon has reaffirmed the commitment of his clients, Prince
Audu to foot the bill of recounting.
The Tribunal led by Justice Abdullahi Yusuf had however ruled during
pre-trial sitting against scanning of the ballot papers earlier. He
rested the ruling on the premise that it would be a Herculean task
to scan the ballot papers, stressing that it would lead to excessive
waste of time.
Justice Abdullahi also ruled earlier that the Counsel to the
Petitioner, Dr. Izinyon did not take the advantage of the legal
instrument granted to him to inspect and obtain certified copies of
the ballot of papers.
The Counsels to the Governor Ibrahim Idris led by Yusuf Ali (SAN)
are expected to open full defence at the end of counting.
The lawyers of the respondents have kept their defence mechanisms
close to their hearts until the petitioners exhaust the evidence at
their disposal.
The Graphic gathered from a member of the lawyers representing
Alhaji Idris that their client is ready to tender the originals of
all his academic certificates at the right time.
He clarified that the petitioner is yet round up its case, after
which it would be the turn of INEC.
With the counting of ballot paper ordered by the Tribunal, the case
may take longer months than expected.
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