Kaduna Central: Tribunal to begin hearing of petition on June 1

Justice A.H Suleiman, Chairman, National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal has fixed Saturday, June 1 to begin hearing in the main petition of Sen Shehu Sani (PRP-Kaduna Central).

Shehu Sani who was the Candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the Feb 23 general election had petitioned Uba Sani, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and winner of the poll.

INEC had declared Uba Sani, winner after he defeated Lawal Adamu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Sen Shehu Sani of the Peoples’ Redemption Party (PRP) in the poll.

However, both Lawal Adamu and Shehu Sani rejected the results and filed separate petitions at the Tribunal challenging Uba Sani, INEC and the APC.

They alleged that the election was marred by massive rigging and ballot stuffing.

Shehu Sani, who had also alleged that INEC manipulated the result of the poll to favor the APC and its candidate, asked the tribunal to rule in his favor and declare him the winner of the poll.

However, the tribunal after concluding the pre-hearing session fixed Sunday, May 31, to present its report, while it also fixed June 1 to begin hearing in the main petition.

The Chairman said the first respondent (Uba Sani) motion for the preliminary objection on the case challenging his election victory, would also be heard then.

Before the adjournment, both counsel to the petitioner, Shehu Sani and those of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents, Uba Sani, APC and INEC respectively, submitted the amount of time they needed to address the tribunal at hearing of the main petition.

The counsel also submitted the number of witnesses each of them would present before the tribunal and the amount of time each witness would take to make their submissions. (NAN)