The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Yola Adamawa State says, a date will be communicated to counsels of both the petitioner and the respondent for judgement.
The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Abiodum Adibara made the pronouncement after counsels of the petitioner All Progressives Congress,APC, first Respondent Umaru Ahmadu, second respondent Peoples Democratic Party PDP and third respondent Independent National Electoral Commission INEC adopted their final written addresses before the tribunal on Friday.
The Counsel to the first respondent, Umaru Ahmadu, Leonard Dzadon Esq, said before the tribunal that, on 3rd of July 2019, the Lordship adjourned the case for the adoption of final address to 23rd of August 2019.
He added that all parties are ready for the final address by the tribunal Chairman.
Dzadon Esq, told the tribunal that, on 1st August 2019, the first respondent filed its final address and on 8th August, he respectively adopted that written address as oral argument before the Lordship.
“I respectively adopted the written address as argument of the 1st respondent in this matter”.
He said as been served with the petitioners final address on 18th of August and the 1st respondent filed a reply on points of law on 22nd of August 2019.
“I similarly adopt this reply as part of our oral argument and I urged your Lordship to dismiss this petition at totally lacking merit” he said.
Counsel to the 2nd respondent PDP, Mahmud Abubakar Magaji Esq, too the tribunal that, 2nd respondent filed their written address on 30th July 2019.
“My lord we raised two issues for our content. We seek to adopt the final address and all arguments content therein as all the cases cited urging the Lordship to dismiss this application as you cannot expect it to stand”. Said he
He also called for the dismissal of the petition.
Counsel to the third respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Akim Kareem Esq, told the tribunal that, the 3rd respondent filed written address on 8th of August 2019, and filed same date.
“We apply to adopt the said final address as the argument of the 3rd respondent in this petition. The 3rd respondent also filed a written reply on point of law on 20th August and filed on 22nd August”.
He said they also adopt the said written reply on point of law as their argument supported on 3rd respondent case, therefore urging the tribunal to dismiss the petition too.
Counsel to the petitioner APC, Ibrahim Effiong Esq, told the tribunal that in the same written address, the petitioner raised preliminary issues from pages 19 to 24.
“My lord the argument in the main address are from pages 24 to 37 of the written address”.
He said in reaction to the reply of the 2nd respondent, they reply on 8th August 2019.
“My lord in reaction to written address filed by 3rd respondent on 16th August, we adopt the argument” he said
