N15m bribe: Yobe REC refuses to testify at tribunal

The Yobe State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Abu Zarma yesterday refused to testify before the Yobe Governorship Petitions Tribunal in Abuja.
Zarma was expected to give his own account over allegations that the sum of N15 million was lodged into his account before the April 11 governorship election, although the sum was later withdrawn.
But at the resumed hearing, he told the tribunal that he will close his case without calling witnesses, despite being listed as one of the respondents in the petition.
Zarma’s counsel, Abeny Mohammed (SAN) told the tribunal that the defence decided not to call witnesses after evaluating its case.
Adamu Maina Waziri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had challenged the election of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the grounds of “widespread violence and irregularities in the election culminating into non- compliance with electoral laws.”
Meanwhile, lawyers in the proceeding have expressed sympathy to the tribunal over the death of one of the judges in presiding over the Yobe Governorship Election Tribunal, Justice Audu Bako.