Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
The Kwara State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Thursday adjourned to Friday to enable a representative of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) present his subpoena.
The tribunal had adjourned to Thursday for full hearing to begin in the petition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the declaration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on the allegation that the governor presented a forged certificate.
But Waheed Bamidele Amode, the WAEC branch controller for Kwara State, who appeared on subpoena by the PDP, told the tribunal that he was yet to receive copies of the subpoena from the Lagos headquarters of the body.
Amode’s statement led to the PDP counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), requesting the tribunal to stand down the case for Amode to present evidence of the subpoena and that he had been asked to represent the examination body.
The counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Rowland Otaru (SAN), objected to the application, saying that it amounted to needless waste of time by the petitioners.
Otaru said the petitioners had nearly three weeks since the tribunal adjourned to get the WAEC representative to appear before the tribunal to prove its case but waited till June 9 to serve the subpoena.
He suggested that the petitioners ought to call another witness if it has a case to prove rather than ask for any adjournment.
The counsel to AbdulRazaq, Mr. Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN), and that of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Akin Olujimi, aligned with INEC’s position, saying the application was strange.
The tribunal however granted the application, saying the petitioners were still within the time limit of four days to argue their case.
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