EDO: Petitioners in forgery case against Obaseki abandon witness mid-way

GOVERNOR Obaseki’s quest to retain his mandate gained a massive boost on Thursday after petitioners abandoned their witness and documents mid-way into hearing at the Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal. 

The Justice Yunusa Musa-led three-member tribunal, sitting in Benin, had on Monday, started the hearing of four remaining petitions against Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu.

The remaining petitions were filed by Action Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Iboi Emmanuel; Action Peoples Party, without joining its governorship candidate, Amos Areloegbe; Allied Peoples Movement, excluding its governorship candidate, Igbineweka Osamuede, and Tracy Agol, without joining her political party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

The petitioners are seeking nullification of the September 19 re-election of Obaseki and his deputy (Shaibu), while calling for a fresh election in which neither PDP, Obaseki or his running mate should contest.

However, Obaseki edged closer to affirming his victory after the petition filed by Agor suffered a setback.

Recall that the petitioners had earlier applied to the tribunal for a Subpoena, ordering the Registrar of the University of Ibadan to come in company of some documents and testify in respect of their forgery case. 

In court was a representative of the Registrar of the University, the Deputy Registrar (Legal), who was was sworn on oath in the witness box.

But a mild drama ensued when Agoha’s counsel informed the tribunal that she was no longer interested in the evidence the witness was subpoenaed to give in court. 

The respondents’ counsel were unanimous in asking the court to order the petitioners to close their case, since they have abandoned their star witness and were not forthcoming in producing another witness, to save the time of the tribunal. 

In response, Agoha asked for a stand down in the proceedings for 30 minutes, to enable her call their last witness, a staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who was meant to tender some documents. The tribunal granted the request for the stand down.

When the tribunal eventually resumed sitting, counsel for the petitioners informed the tribunal that the witness from INEC was unable to produce the documents and consequently notified it that the petitioners have closed their case. 

Recall that on December 11, 2020, the tribunal dismissed in a unanimous ruling, the petition filed by Action Alliance (AA) and its governorship candidate, Ukonga Onaivi, against Obaseki, PDP and INEC, for failing to file pre-hearing notice.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, last week also dismissed a case of forgery brought before it by APC chieftain, William Edobor.