There was drama at the lmo State Election Petition Tribunal, yesterday, in Owerri, when the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) lawyer in an ongoing election case between the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume and Governor Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), told the tribunal that his sole witness would no longer be testifying in the case, as earlier promised.
Senator Araraume is challenging the election of Ihedioha in the last governorship election in Imo State, alleging that the election was manned with electoral irregularities.
The INEC’s counsel, Mr Aham Ekeh Ejelam (SAN), had pleaded with the tribunal on Thursday to give him until Friday to produce his sole witness to testify in the case, when the witness failed to turn up at the tribunal.
When asked by the chairman of the tribunal, Hon Justice M U Dogodanji, at the continuation of the hearing if he had another witness, Ejelam SAN responded thus, “I cannot present another witness when the real witness’ name was forwarded to the tribunal in our front loaded documents.’’
INEC’s counsel subsequently pleaded with the tribunal to adjourn till Friday, July 26th to enable him put his house together and bring his sole witness to the court. The petitioner’s lawyer, Awul Kalu’s never objected and the court adjourned the matter to yesterday.
However, at the resumed hearing yesterday, counsel to INEC, Mr Ejelam (SAN), told the court that he could not produce his sole witness, informing the court that INEC has no witness to present and consequently closed his case.
Onyechi ikpeazu (SAN), counsel to Rt. Hon Ihedioha of PDP, however, pleaded with the court to adjourn till August 16 to enable him to open his defence. But the court declined his request and later fixed 5th and August 15th and 16th for the opening of their defence, saying the tribunal is running out of time.
