Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike will open defence on the election petition filed by African Action Congress ( AAC) and its gubernatorial candidate, Awara Biokpoboma before the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Port Harcourt.
At the resumed hearing of the Tribunal on Wednesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, tendered some documents to the court and announced its close of defence on the petition with no witness presented for cross examination.
Counsel for INEC, Steve Adeyi (SAN) had told the court that haven examined all evidence brought by the petitioner that there is no allegation made against it, hence the decision to close its case with no witness for defence.
However, after acknowledging the documents, the three man Tribunal led by Justice Kingsley Ojiako adjourned till tomorrow, Thursday September 19, 2019 for the 2nd respondent (Governor Wike) to open defence.
Speaking with newsmen at the court premises, INEC counsel, Steve Adeyi (SAN) noted that the commission has closed its case in the petition.
He said “What we did was not to waste the time of the court. We have examined all the evidence brought by the petitioner and our defence view that they have not made up case for us to answer.
“Like I said, not to waste the time of the court we decided to close up our case today”.
On his part, Emenike Ebete, counsel for the 1st petitioner ( Awara Biokpoboma) said “This morning the Independent National Electoral Commission was to present their witnesses to open their case. After yesterday proceedings it was their turn to open their case today and we came to court the INEC lawyer after tendering some documents announced to the court that he did not intend to call any witness and that they have closed their case”.
He expressed that “It is his case, if he say he does not want to bring any witness to prove his case we are okey.
Also speaking Dike Udenna, co-counsel for Governor Wike, explained “INEC is on top of its own game, it has looked at the evidence against it and then come to the conclusion that there is really nothing against it, so there is no point calling witnesses to deny when there is no allegation made out against it.
“I think they are within their right to make that decision not to call witnesses and there is nothing wrong with that, it is permissible under the law”.
He noted that “The case has now been adjourned till tomorrow (Thursday) for 2nd respondent, that is Governor Nyesom Wike to open his own defence”.
