PLATEAU: GOVERNORSHIP TRIBUNAL UPDATES: INEC's REC ORDERED TO PRODUCE DOCUMENTS ON OR BEFORE 4TH JULY, 2023, OTHERS

By: Valentine Adese (JP),

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Plateau State has been ordered to produce the documents he was subpoenaed to produce in Petition No: EPT/PL/GOV/03/2023, filed by, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) on or before the 4^th of July, 2023.

The Tribunal has also adjourned the hearing of the Petition to Thursday, the 29^th of July, 2023.

However, before the adjournment the Petitioners’ Counsel, Prof. Olatoke (SAN), leading Edward Pwajok (SAN) among other SANs and Lawyers, had tendered documents produced yesterday, by the National Chairman of INEC.

Owing to the discrepancies observed in the produced documents by the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Respondents in comparism with the “2^nd Schedule” adopted by the Petitioners’ Counsel, the Tribunal has ordered that, the discrepancies should be properly documented by the Respondents and served on the Petitioners and Tribunal before the next adjourned date.

However, the Counsel to the 3^rd Respondent, Emeka Etiaba (SAN), had hinted the Tribunal that, the discrepancies is about 5%, as 95% of the documents are not in contention.

You would recall that REALITY had reported that, the Petitioners in Petition No: EPT/PL/GOV/03/2023, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) have opened the prosecution of their case with the tendering of Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents from the Bar, as agreed by parties during the Pre-hearing Session.

And that, the Commissioner of Police (CP) Plateau State Command and the Chairman of INEC have been ordered by the Tribunal to produce documents to the Tribunal as specified in the Subpoena they were served, on or before 7 days.

In a sister Petition No: EPT/PL/GOV/02/2023, filed by Dabwan Alfred Clark, which is also contesting the victory of Governor Caleb Mutfwang (Esq) and his party the PDP in the just concluded governorship election in the state for alleged “Unlawful Exclusion”, the Tribunal has adjourned the hearing to tomorrow the 28^th of June, 2023 to enable the Counsel to the Petitioners, S.D Maren (Esq) to tender documents he hopes to be produced by INEC.

In its ruling after several arguments and urge from the Respondents that, the Tribunal should dismiss the Petition, owing to alleged incompetence in prosecuting the Petition, the Tribunal held in part that:

“The case was adjourned for hearing today. The Petitioners’ Counsel informed the Tribunal that he needed some documents to prosecute the Petition. The adjournment sort was opposed.

“Since the petitioners said INEC is willing to give them the documents, let’s give them the benefit of doubt. This one day will be taken and all parties in the matter must be prepared their cases tomorrow”.