The Kwara State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on
Friday adjourned till July 9, hearing in the petition challenging
the declaration of AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the state
governor.
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party,
Razaq Atunwa, had filed the suit, alleging that the governor
presented a forged certificate to the Independent National
Electoral Commission.
The adjournment followed the failure of the petitioner to
present a witness from the West African Examination Council with
supporting documents.
The tribunal had expected the examination body to present the
documents last Friday, following the commencement of full hearing
in the petition.
Counsel to the petitioner, Abdulwahab Bamidele, told the court
that he was reliably informed that the WAEC officials from Lagos
mandated to produce the documents missed their flight to Ilorin
last Friday morning.
Bamidele prayed the tribunal to stand down the case till 3pm for
the WAEC officials to present evidence when they must have arrived
Ilorin by road.
But counsel to INEC, Rowland Otaru, opposed the application.
Otaru said the petitioner ought to have called another witness
if he had a case to prove.
AbdulRazaq’s counsel, Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN), also told the court
that the election petition tribunal was a serious business and the
court should not allow the petitioner to drag the trial
forever.
Counsel to the All Progressives Congress, Akin Olujimi (SAN),
prayed the court to dismiss the petition, pointing out that there
was procedural heresy in the application.
He suggested the adjournment of the case till July 9 and 10 for
the petitioner to bring all his witnesses.
The tribunal said the application to stand down the trial had no
merit and insisted that the court would not grant any extension to
any of the parties.
The tribunal granted the application for the adjournment till
July 9 and 10, saying the petitioners were still within their time
limit of four days to argue their case as agreed during the
pre-hearing trial.
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