The Borno State National and State Houses of Assembly elections petition tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned hearing in a case filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), until Thursday, to enable more witnesses to testify in a suit challenging the election of Sen. Mohammed Ndume.
Malam Kudla Satumari and his party, the PDP had on March 15, filed a petition with number EPT/BO/SEN/1/2019 before the tribunal.
NAN reports that they are challenging the declaration of Ndume of All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the Borno South Senatorial District conducted on Feb. 23, 2019.
APC and INEC were also joined in the suit.
Ndume and APC had objected to the issues raised by Satumari and PDP in their replies to their own reply to the petition.
Justice Peter Kekemeke, Chairman of the tribunal, granted the prayer for adjournment by Mr Haruna Kyelek, counsel for the petitioners to enable witnesses to travel from Maiduguri.
He adjourned until Thursday as other counsel did not object to the prayer.
Earlier, Kyelek, prayed the panel to grant an adjournment after the testimony of the sixth witness.
The respondents’ counsel, Mr Marcel Oru for Ndume, Mr Ayo Olarenwaju for APC and Oluwafemi Ademola for INEC did not oppose.
In the petition made available to NAN, Satumari averred that the election was marred by corrupt practices and non- compliance with provision of the Electoral Act.
He, therefore, sought the order of the tribunal for cancellation of the election and for INEC to conduct fresh election for the Senatorial District within 90 days.
Responding, Ndume in his reply to the petition made available to NAN also, 61#” denied the allegations in most of the paragraphs of the petition.
In his reply filed on April 10, he averred that the said Borno South Senatorial election was free and fair and not fraught with irregularities and non- compliance with the Electoral Act.
Ndume denied the allegations and averment contained in the petition and demanded the petitioners for strict proof in accordance with the law to the extent of their materiality to the petition.
He therefore averred to prove during trial that the petition was defective, incompetent for the compliance of the Electoral Act.
NAN reports that six witnesses have so far testified.
