FROM THE PLATEAU GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION PETITION TRIBUNAL

Main hearing of the Sen JT Useni and PDP vs INEC, Simon Bako Lalong and APC Petition started today 27/6/2019 as earlier agreed by all parties in the pre-hearing conference on Saturday June 15, 2019.

The session started at 9:30am with with the Petitioners’ leading Counsel Barr Mike Ozekhome informing the court that his team had raised and filed four Issues for Determination by the Tribunal. These are:

1. Whether the 2nd and 3rd Respondents were duly elected by majority votes cast at the election;
2. Whether the election of 2nd and 3rd Respondents are not invalid by reason of corrupt practices and/or non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as Amended);
3. Whether the 2nd Respondent at the time of election not disqualified to contest for office of Governor of Plateau State;
4. Whether the Petitioners have proved their complaints in the petition so as to entitle them to the reliefs sought in the petition

Counsel to the Respondents all acknowledged receipt of the process and have said they will file in their responses by Friday, June 28, 2019.

There were also arguments on procedures of tendering evidence and whether there should be seatings on Saturdays.

After heated arguments from counsel to Petitioners and Respondents, the Tribunal judges, ruled through the Chairman, Hon. Justice H.A Saleeman, that each evidence tendered should be taken and not “admitted and taken as read” under guideline Number 4 as earlier stipulated by the tribunal.

The Chairman sai seatings on Saturdays will also be moderated as the situation warrants.

The JT Useni/PDP legal team headed by Barr Mike Ozekhome had earlier proposed to present 12 witnesses to be taken today. Prof Dimis Mai-Lafia, the Director-General of the JT Useni Campaign Organisation/PDP State Campaign Council as well as the PDP State Returning Officer in the election, was the first witness for the Petitioners (Sen JT Useni and PDP).

The highlights of Prof Mai-Lafia’s testimony are as follows:

Prof Mai-Lafia had earlier sworn to an affidavit on 13th April, 2019 before the Tribunal that the Respondent Simon Bako Lalong is using four (4) different names, viz:

1. Simon Sule: WAEC Certificate 1982
2. Sule, Simon Lalong: IJMB Statement of Result, 1986; ABU Degree Cert, 1990; NYSC Cert
3. Sule Simon L.: ABU Admission letter,
4. Simon Bako Lalong: University of Jos Masters degree in Law 2006.

Prof Mai-Lafia’s contention is that

1. In the INEC form which Gov Lalong filled and signed under oath, the column that asked him whether he had ever changed his name, he placed a dash signifying “Nil” or “None”.
2. The Respondent swore and attached an affidavit that he changed his name from Sule Simon Lalong to Simon Bako Lalong but the other name in his WAEC Certificate which is Simon Sule was not reflected in the change of name.

In addition, the name Simon Sule L. was not explained as it is not synonymous with Simon Sule Lalong.

1. That Simon Bako Lalong lied under oath and was therefore not qualified to contest the election in the first place.

Counsel to Lalong, INEC and APC all tried to dazzle Prof Mai-Lafia on technicalities such as pre-election matters, ownership of the other certificates and dates but Prof Mai-lafia stood his ground.

Name change by Simon Bako Lalong the 2nd Respondent in the Sen JT Useni/PDP petition is among the 4 issues for determination filed by the Petitioners at the Tribunal.

There were interesting testimonies from witnesses from Wase Local Government Area. All of them testified in establishing that the results from Wase Local Government Area contained illegal alterations, cancellations, manipulations, over voting and other electoral ills.

However, due to circumstances beyond the Tribunal’s control, today’s sitting was adjourned before the set official closing time to Friday 28th June, 2019 when the Petitioners will present more witnesses.

We are on course

Yiljap Abraham

Media Consultant to
Sen Gen JT Useni
June 27, 2019

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Updates From Plateau Governorship Election Petition Tribunal