Kano Tribunal: INEC opens, closes defence after three witness

In the resumed hearing on the petition filed by the PDP and its governorship candidate in Kano, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), being the 1st respondent in the case, has closed its defence a day after opening, calling only three witnesses. On Monday, counsel to INEC, Barrister Adedayo Adedeji, told the court that the […]

In the resumed hearing on the petition filed by the PDP and its governorship candidate in Kano, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), being the 1st respondent in the case, has closed its defence a day after opening, calling only three witnesses.

On Monday, counsel to INEC, Barrister Adedayo Adedeji, told the court that the 1st respondent was ready to proceed with its defence and presented their 1st witness, Idris Muhammad, who was the Electoral Officer (EO) of INEC in Dala local government area.

Muhammad told the court that at any point of collation, if there was an anomaly, the officer at that point must write a report, using form EC40G, he said as such some results of 28 polling units in Dala were cancelled during the March 9 governorship election as a result of either violence or over voting.

On Tuesday, INEC called two other witnesses, Muhammed D. Isma’il, who was the INEC Electoral Officer in Nasarawa local government and Halima Sambo Hassan, who was the Electoral Officer of Ungogo local government area of the state.

Halima told the court that she was assigned to supervise Nasarawa local government during the March 23, supplementary election during which she said, elections were conducted peacefully in the local government.

“Part of my responsibility was to interact with the security agents to ensure smooth conduct of election, and if there is any violence, I would be the first to be contacted. So, as far as we are concerned the march 23 rerun was conducted peacefully,” she said.

On his part, Muhammad D. Isma’il, told the court that 62 polling units results of Gama ward were cancelled as a result of violence that erupted at the Nasarawa local government collation center.

During cross examination, counsel to the petitioners, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) asked all the witnesses whether they were part of the decision to cancel the march 9th election in 207 polling units across the state, to which they all said no.

After cross examination, counsel to INEC moved for the closure of their defence, and the presiding judge, Justice Halima S. Muhammad, closed the defence and adjourned the matter to Wednesday for continuation of hearing during which Governor Ganduje, the 2nd respondent, is expected to open his defence.