Taraba Governorship: Tribunal Adjourns For Judgement

BEVERLY HILLS, October 07, (THEWILL) – The Taraba Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned indefinitely to prepare its judgment in a petition on the April 11 poll in the state.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the election, Aisha Alhassan, had petitioned the tribunal, challenging the declaration of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Darius Ishaku, as winner of the poll.

The adjournment was announced by the Tribunal's Chairman, Justice Musa Abubakar, after counsels to the petitioner and the respondents told the tribunal that they had adopted their written addresses and had closed their cases.

Abubakar said that the tribunal would inform the parties in the suit of the date it would deliver judgement.

Earlier in the proceedings, Mr. Kanu Agabi (SAN), counsel to Ishaku, and Mr. Solo Akuma, counsel to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had asked the tribunal to strike out the petition.

They argued that the petition was incompetent and inconsistent.

But counsel to Alhassan, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), argued that they had proved from the evidence presented that Ishaku was not duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast in the election.

He also argued that the PDP primary, which produced the respondent as governorship candidate of the party was conducted in Abuja, contrary to the party's constitution that stated that primaries should be conducted at state secretariats.

Owonikoko, therefore, urged the tribunal to uphold the petition and grant his client the reliefs sought.

NAN.