The Independent National Electoral Commission, which opened its defence at the ongoing governorship election petitions tribunal holding in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, has said that it is not calling any witness.
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The electoral body was listed as the first respondent in the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Benue, Emmanuel Jime, to challenge the declaration of Governor Samuel Ortom of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner of the governorship election.
At the resumed of proceedings on Thursday, INEC’s lawyer, Offiong Offiong (SAN), told the tribunal that the commission was not calling witnesses.
He said, “Having taken a calm review of all that the petitioners have done and what we have achieved in cross-examination, we think that evidence extracted from the petitioners and the documents they tendered are sufficient and we do not intend to call witnesses.
“That is the case of the first respondent pursuant to Paragraph 4(5) of the First Schedule of the Electrical Act, 2010, as amended.”
In his own submission, Ortom’s lawyer, Edward Ashiekaa (SAN), said his client would only call a few witnesses.
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