The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, the Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva concluded their defence on Wednesday in respect of the petition by the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last governorship election in the state, Udengmobofa Eradiri.
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Eradiri is, by his petition marked: EPT/BY/GOV/02/2023 praying the governorship election tribunal to among others, void the joint ticket of Diri and Ewhrudjakpo, and disqualify Sylva on grounds of non-qualification and declare him the actual winner of the election held on November 11, 2023.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, the lawyer to INEC, Alhassan Umar (SAN) opened and closed his client’s case after tendering some sets of results sheets comprising Forms EC8C (for the eight Local Government Areas in the state), Forms
EC8D (for the eight LGAs in the state) and Form EC8E.
Lawyer to Eradiri, Ayotunde Ogunleye (SAN) objected to the admissibility of the documents but reserved his reasons until the final address stage.
Diri, who is the second respondent, his party, the PDP and Sylva neither tendered any document nor called any witness. They elected to rely on the evidence elicited from the petitioner’s sole witness during cross-examination.
Out of the five respondents to the petition, only Ewhrudjakpo called a witness, who was subpoenaed to produce his service record as a former civil servant.
The witness, Gowon Toruyouyei said he was the Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Development until he retired recently.
Ewhrudjakpo’s lawyer, Chukwuma Machukwu Umeh (SAN) tendered some documents through Toruyouyei, which he claimed constituted the Deputy Governor’s service record as a civil servant in the Bayelsa civil service.
Shortly after Tunde Falola, lawyer to Sylva (who is the last respondent) announced the closure of his client’s case, the tribunal Chairman, Justice Adekunle Adeleye announced dates for parties to file their final written addresses.
Justice Adeleye ordered the five respondents to file and serve their final written addresses on or before March 21. The petitioner is to file and serve not later than March 29, while respondents are to file their replies (if any) not later than March 31.
He adjourned till 12 noon on March 31 for the adoption of the parties’ final written addresses.
