The three-man National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu, headed by Justice M.OAdewara,yesterday, admitted over 1,000 documents into evidence brought before it by the petitioner, candidate of the People Democratic Change, PDC, former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani.
Nnamani is challenging the declaration by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of Senator Gil Nnaji of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as winner for the Enugu-East senatorial district, which had elicited widespread protest in Enugu metropolis.
Lead counsel to the petitioner, Mr. O. Jolaawo had, while presenting his submissions, told the court that the ”respondents have been served with copies of the schedules as ordered by the court. All the conditions for admissibility have been met and we have complied with the requirements of section 104 of the Evidence Act with respect to certification of public documents. “
Part of the documents admitted includes result sheets, ballot papers, voters’ register, for Isi-Uzo,Enugu-North,Enugu-South,Nkanu-West,Nkanu-East and Enugu-East local government areas that constitute the senatorial district.
Tribunal Chairman, Justice Adewara, however, admitted the documents as evidence even as he warned parties to the suit to dispense of any delay tactics, adding that the 14 days duration each, accorded to parties will not be extended to enable the tribunal pass judgment on or before October 13.
It could be recalled that part of the petitioner’s grievances is the alleged inflation of votes, in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area where PDP polled 16,202 votes against PDC’s 2,917.
Nnamani, who won with wide margin in four local government areas of Enugu-North,Enugu-East,Enugu-South and Nkanu-West out of the six council areas that constitute the senatorial district, according to result announced by INEC, further alleged collusion of INEC officials in perpetration of irregularities at the polls.
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