Borno:Tribunal reserves judgment in suit challenging Ndume

The Borno National and State Houses of Assembly elections petition tribunal on Tuesday, reserve judgment in a suit challenging the election of Sen. Mohammed Ndume.

Malam Kudla Satumari and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on March 15, filed a petition with number EPT/BO/SEN/1/2019 before the tribunal.

They are challenging the declaration of Ndume of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as winner of the Borno South Senatorial District conducted on Feb. 23, 2019.

APC and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also joined in the suit.

Justice Peter Kekemeke, Chairman of the tribunal adjourned for judgment after parties adopted three final written addresses.

He added that parties would be communicated appropriately.

Mr Marcel Oru, counsel for Ndume, submitted that it was of no use to allow the tribunal to go through the voluminous documents brought by the petitioners.

He said that the tribunal is not here to investigate but to adjudicate and no matter how beautiful a final address, it can not stand without evidence.

He therefore urged the tribunal to discountence the petition.

Counsel for APC , Mr Yusuf Ali, SAN urged the tribunal to give the petition a decent burial.

He said out of the 1,305 polling units in the district, the petitioners were challenging 119 units if the results of 119 units were given to them would not poll the desired number of votes.

He said out of the 14 witnesses called none was a polling unit agent none was present at the polling unit and only based their evidence on second hand information.