Kaduna: Tribunal modifies pre-hearing report, as INEC fails to open case against Ashiru, PDP

Justice Victor Oviawe-led panel, handling the March 18, 2023 gubernatorial election petition Tribunal in Kaduna State has modified the pre-hearing report of the tribunal.

The modification followed the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to open its case against the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Isa Ashiru and his party on Saturday as ordered by the tribunal at the last sitting.

The Commission had earlier failed to produce the subpoenaed witness which led to the closure of the petitioners’ case at the last sitting.

Resuming hearing Saturday, INEC was expected to open its case against the petitioners but failed to do so, as its Counsel pleaded for an extension of time to enable the Commission’s witnesses appear before the tribunal.

“The witnesses we intend to call are writing promotional examinations. We planned to call all our witnesses on Wednesday,” the counsel to INEC pleaded for further modification of the pre-hearing report.

The tribunal then allotted three days respectively to the 1st (INEC), 2nd (Uba Sani) and 3rd (APC) respondents for the opening and closing of their cases, considering the volume of witnesses being lined up by them.

According to the tribunal, it appears that the Counsels (INEC) are trying to waste the time of the tribunal.

Upon submissions by all the Counsels, the three-man panel of the tribunal directed that INEC open its case on Wednesday and close the same day and urged the Counsels to cooperate with the tribunal.

Meanwhile, the petition marked EPT/KD/Gov/4/23 has been adjourned till Wednesday, August 9, 2023, next week.