Kogi Guber: Tribunal Reserves Judgement

The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja has reserved judgement on the petition filed by the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN),and former governor of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu.

Audu is challenging the return of Captain Idris Wada as governor by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),in the December 3,2011 gubernatorial poll.

The tribunal chairman, Justice Suleiman Anbursa, after the endorsement of the written addresses by the counsels to the litigants, said he would communicate accordingly, the day? they would deliver? judgement.

While addressing the tribunal earlier on his position on the matter, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, counsel to Governor Wada described the petition as? needless.

He? expressed confident that the petition would fail, describing it as a carcass in the graveyard, waiting to be buried, more so that the roots and branches of the petition had no base.

Fagbemi subsequently urged the tribunal to dismiss the case, even as he insisted that it was not yet late? for the petitioners to withdraw the matter.

Also in a remark, Chris Uche, SAN, counsel to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) urged the tribunal to strike out the petition, describing it as a useless adventure.

According to him,the petitioners were merely attacking the outcome of the election, without providing an alternative result, adding that they had failed woefully to prove their case.

Counsel to the electoral umpire, Yusuf Ali-SAN aligned with the positions of Uche and Fagbemi, saying the petition was lacking in merit.

He therefore enjoined the tribunal to dismiss the case, more so that the matter was technically non-existent, since unsigned and undated documents had no value in law.

However, counsel to Prince Audu, Charles Edosowan in his submission, urged the tribunal to do justice on the matter, insisting that his client won the last governorship poll in the state.