Plateau North Senatorial candidate under the platform of the United Progressive Party (UPP) Sanusi Inuwa has told a National Assembly Tribunal sitting in Jos that he did not fill nor submit his nomination form submitted to INEC by his party.

The said forms, numbered CFOO1 and CFOO2C2 are political parties candidate nomination forms which are given to candidates by INEC through their parties to fill and return to the electoral body.

It would be recalled that Inuwa had dragged Sen. Istifanus Gyang, the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP before the tribunal after his party logo was omitted from the ballot paper in the 2019 Plateau North Senatorial District election.

Inuwa is seeking the tribunal to annul the election and order INEC to include his name and party logo on the ballot paper to enable him contest in the election.

The petitioner who stood as a witness in the suit said that “I was informed by my party that the form was correctly filled with my details and submitted to INEC.

“I did not fill the form myself and i have never set my eyes on it but i was duly informed by my party that it was filled correctly.

“I don’t know who submitted the form to INEC headquarters in Abuja as our party headquarters is in Abuja and i live in Jos.

When presented with the form by counsel of the first defendant, Mr Harrison Ugwala for identification, the petitioner said it was not his hand writing that was on the form and his personal details were not correctly written in it.

In a twist, the National Secretary of the United Progressive Party (UPP) Mr Sadeeq Masallah, testified against his party man Inuwa, while standing as a defence witness before the tribunal.

Masallah in his testimony said that form CF002C, nominating Sanusi Muhammad Inuwa, as senatorial candidate, for Plateau North Senatorial District was endorsed and forwarded to INEC headquarters Abuja.

He said; “I and my National chairman, personally signed form CF002C, in respect of Sanusi Muhammad Inuwa, submitted to INEC.”

“All our candidates fill their forms by themselves and all the party did was to sign and forward same to INEC.

According to him, the administrative officer of the party processed all forms of candidates nominated and made them to sign after which they submitted to INEC.

After taking all witnesses of the petitioner and the first defendant, INEC and PDP counsels prayed the tribunal to adjourn the matter to enable them bring their witnesses.

Chairman of the tribunal, Justice T. N Nzeogwu thereby adjourned the matter to June 28, for continuation of hearing and taking of witnesses.

Credit: Factualtimes

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Plateau North Senate: I Did Not Fill The Form My Party Submitted To INEC – UPP Candidate Tells Tribunal