By Moses Gbande
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Plateau state has expressed optimism that it is close to Justice having closed its case by filing necesary documents and exhibits as well as calling witnesses to testify before the tribunal.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP through its Candidate, Theophilus Kirbut has filed a petition before the election petition tribunal seeking the tribunal nullify the election Nanlong Daniel of All Progressive Congress, APC as Member Representing Mikang state constituency.
Theophilus Kirbut is alleging that the election which brought Nanlong Daniel of All Progressive Congress, APC on board as Member Representing Mikang state constituency was full of electoral irregularities.
At the wind down of the submission, the petitioners’ council, Barr. J. M Okafor who had already called eight witnesses before closing their case, equally tendered additional documents in evidence including certified true copies of Forms EC8A made up of result sheets and voters registers from various polling units in Mikang local government areas.
With this, defendants are to open their defenses in the next adjournment, scheduled for Monday.
One of the witnesses, Mr. Nehemiah Tangkat Ishaku in his witness on oath said the 2019 house of Assembly election in Mikang local government arrea was marred by irregularities.
He Said he served as a Local Government returning agent of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during the election, and that most of the polling units he visited record electotoral irregularities.
When the petitioners’ Counsel Barr. J. M Okafor asked him wether he still stands by his written statement on oath which he made before the tribunal on the 29th day of March, 2019, and would want the tribunal to take it as his witness, Mr. Nehemiah Tangkat, said he adopted it so.
On cross examination by defendants’ Counsels; Barr. B. Ali, Barr. Ugwuala and Barr. Dafer who appeared for INEC, Hon. Nanlong Daniel and the APC in that order, Mr. Nehemiah Tangkat maintained that they were at the Local government Headquarters of INEC as early as 7am for the monitoring of distribution of electoral materials.
He stressed further that, as soon as they finished distributing electoral materials, calls started coming in with complaints of malfunctions of smart card readers mechines and harassments of voters.
According to him, the Election Officer, (EO) was quickly alerted, and he swiftly acted on the information, “after confirming the authenticity of the complaints, we proceeded to the areas to address the issues”.
He explained that they made a remarkable success in settling the matter in some places they visited, but shortly after, the same problems reoccured .
“At the collation process, reports of over voting and results mutilations by hoodlums came in”.
Another Witness, Stephen Dakup who served as polling unit agent during the election said some results were not announced before the electorates, but could not sufficiently prove the allegation of over voting as he stated in his written statement on oath.
Another witness, Ibrahim James Tabial, who preferred to be called JT, said at zamkoko polling Unit, some people who could not produce their permanent Voters card were allowed to vote.
The situation he said He said was reported, but no action was taken by the security agencies there.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC through its counsel said it would not call any witness in the matter as indicated by other counsels.
Nasarawa Reporters 