…
Okowa closes cases against APC
…PDP, INEC to open Defense
…PDP, INEC to open Defense
The
three –man panel of the Delta State Governorship election petition tribunal
sitting in Asaba, today expressed dissatisfaction over the unruly behavior and
conduct of the petitioner’s witness.
The
chairman of the tribunal, Justice Nasiru Gunmi while presiding over the cross
examination of the 13th witness to the petitioners; the Labour Party (LP) and
its gubernatorial candidate, Chief Great Ogboru, repeatedly cautioned Turna
Ogboru over his disobedient to tribunal procedures and rules .
Turna
Ogboru, the younger brother to Great Ogboru, while testifying at the tribunal
in the petition challenging the electoral victory of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa,
had declined to give a direct answer of “ yes or no”, to questions put to him
by the respondents counsels during cross examination.
Efforts
by counsels to PDP, INEC and Okowa ; Mr. Timothy Kehinde (SAN) , Damian Dodo
(SAN) and Alex Izyion (SAN) to make him comply proved abortive as he (Turna
Ogboru) would rather relapse into lengthy narratives in attempt at answering
the questions.
The
witness approach and conduct infuriated the panel of judges after he had been
warned a dozen times to comply with instructions.
Justice
Gunmi said, “Don’t stretch our patience, maybe we have to take an adjournment
and ask your counsel to advice you on how to behave.”
“You are a witness in this matter, whatever relationship you have with counsels does not count here, and you should answer the questions directly, so please help us. I want you to know that the evidence you give will determine your case, if you do not comport yourself, I do not know how you are helping in this matter”.
“You are a witness in this matter, whatever relationship you have with counsels does not count here, and you should answer the questions directly, so please help us. I want you to know that the evidence you give will determine your case, if you do not comport yourself, I do not know how you are helping in this matter”.
After
relative calm in the tribunal, following infuriating altercation between
counsels to Okowa, PDP and INEC, and petitioner’s witness, Turner Ogboru told
the tribunal that he was not desperate at securing victory for his brother and
LP at the tribunal.
When
confronted with contradicting figures in his depositions, Ogboru pleaded with
the tribunal to expunge pages 60 and 61 of his statement on oath saying “there
is error in the chat, it is not correct, please expunge that portion”.
He
acknowledged the error in is reports and statement on oath before the tribunal,
which he said occasioned from his failure to consult the voters register while
compiling his report.
He told the tribunal that the depositions were not wholly his idea as his
counsel assisted in preparing the report.
Turner
also informed the court that similar mistakes were noticed in the report
deposed to by the Labour Party (LP) chairman, Mr. Toni Ezeagwu, because it
followed the same pattern of being doctored by their counsels.
Meanwhile,
Counsel to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Dr. Alex Izyion (SAN) told then tribunal
that he has closed his case with the All Progressive Congress (APC) having
called four witnesses in the matter to prove his case
Equally,
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) are bid to open their defense against APC and Otega
Emerhor on Friday, 18 September, 2015.
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