The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its gubernatorial candidate, Hon. Isa Ashiru Kudan, have told the gubernatorial election petition court (Tribunal) that they will call no fewer than 25 witnesses in their petition.
Counsel to the petitioners, Samuel Atung (SAN), disclosed this during the proceedings of the pre-hearing phase before the court’s three justices in Kaduna on Tuesday.
During the proceedings, he averred that 23 electoral officers were part of the witnesses to be presented before the court for examination-in-chief, cross-examination, and re-examination.
The Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Victor Oviawe, after extensive deliberations allotted seven minutes to the examination in chief, 12 minutes to cross-examination, and three minutes to re-examination, respectively.
However, counsels to the 1st respondent, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Alhassan A. Umar (SAN), the 2nd respondent, Gov. Uba Sani, Sunusi Musa (SAN), and the 3rd respondent, APC, Muh’d Sani Katu, were at the court, as they all pleaded with the court for the service of an interpreter.
The court directed that all interlocutory applications be filed before the close of work on Wednesday (tomorrow), saying that the court is time-bound.
Meanwhile, counsels in the matter adopted all answers filed, just as the court directed the PDP counsel to respond within four days upon service of application by the respondents’ counsels, while two days were allotted to the respondents’ counsels to also respond.
The court adjourned the case till 15th June, 2023 for hearing of the matter.
