Tribunal Opens Hearing On JT Useni’s Petition Against Gov. Lalong

Tribunal Opens Hearing On JT Useni’s Petition Against Gov. LalongBy Moses GbandeThe Peoples Democratic Party , PDP and its Candidate in the 2019 Governorship election in Plateau state, Senator Jeremiah T. Useni, Thursday, opened his case at the Elections petition tribunal holding in Jos, plateau state capital.Senator, General Jeremiah Timbut Useni (rtd) is challenging the competency of the election of Rt Hon. Simon Bako Lalong as the governor of Plateau state under the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC.At the opening of the case Counsel to the petitioners, Mike Ozekhome tendered documents including form FC 001 which shows that deposition of Governor Simon Bako Lalong before the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is different from the sworn affidavits which was the form he filed to contest the election.Speaking with our Correspondent, Counsel to the petitioners, Mike Ozekhome Said the implication was that, Governor Lalong has a contentious question to answer before the tribunal as to why different names reflected in his credentials.”The proceeding has went on very well, we have tendered documents to the tribunal including form CF 001 , which shows that the deposition of the Governor Lalong before INEC is different from the Sworn affidavit, which wss the form he filed to contest the election. Meaning that, there was up to three names that were binding about which we Want the tribunal to resolve that it was not Governor Lalong who Was with all those papers that contested the election.”The fact that this was not dictated before now, does not mean that it can’t be brought up. The issue that you are not qualified can also lead to disqualification. So they are both pre-elections and Post-election maters.”We have been able to put in these documents and been able to start witnesses today, and took about eight witnesses . we were actually trying to take the eight witness when the tribunal noted that one of its members was slightly indisposed and had actually vacated his seat, and we urge the tribunal to adjourn for the continuation of hearing this Friday.So far, so good, the petitioner was able to forward his case at best that he can, and we called witnesses to show that the facts are either mutilated or changed and there was also over voting during the election. The figures are there, and the witnesses have come to prove what they have written down. So, we have been able to show these things today through the witnesses and we are happy.”We are very satisfied with the witnesses because they went the way we want the case to go, they couldn’t shaken.”There were critical areas where we thought they were going into, which they never went into at all, so, in law these critical depositions in the affidavit that were never challenged, remained unbotted and at the address stage we are going to show that we remained iron cast, that they were never – never shaken and rebotted”.On his part, Counsel to the third respondent in the petition, Garba Pwul (SAN) expressed satisfaction with the commencement of the hearing in the matter, stressing that it was too early for counsels to assesse the usefulness and other wise evidences tendered.