2011 GUBER ELECTION: UGBAH TAKES SUSWAM TO TRIBUNAL

Governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Benue State, Professor Steve Ugbah has opened a case against the re-elected governor of the state, Dr. Gabriel Suswam at the elections tribunal.

Ugbah stormed the tribunal on Tuesday to set in motion his legal grievances against the declaration of Governor Suswam as winner of the gubernatorial election, praying the court to order the release of summary of results from the 23 local councils collation centres (Form EC 8D) and the declaration of results of election of the governorship election.

Counsel to Prof. Ugbah, Mr Andrew Wombo told newsmen yesterday that he had filed the suit on Tuesday at the governorship election petition tribunal in Makurdi. Wombo said he filed a Motion Exparte No GET/BNS/1m/2011, pursuant to Section 151(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 seeking the order of the Tribunal to inspect and obtain certified true copies of election materials used during the April 26 governorship election to enable him prepare his election petition.

He explained further that his client wanted the tribunal to take a critical look at the voters' register, statement of unused and spoilt ballot papers, list of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff, list of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agents, list of INEC accredited observers and reports of electoral officers. In addition, the legal counsel asked the tribunal to grant Prof. Ugbah access to check the following , INEC forms EC 8A, EC 8B and EC 8C. forms (EC 8E).

Wombo also stated that the application was filed on the grounds that Prof.Ugbah was uncomfortable with the conduct of the governorship election in the state. As at the time of filing this report, 10 petitions have so far been filed at the tribunal for the just concluded governorship and parliamentary elections in the state with three challenging Senatorial elections, while seven are challenging House of Representatives elections.