Alleged Certificate Forgery: PDP, Tribunal trade words on alleged relocation of case to Abuja

Claim figment of writer’s imagination – Panel Sec

Judges summoned to FCT, Kwara PDP insists

…sitting continues in Ilorin, today

By Mumini AbdulKareem and Kayode Adeoti

The 3-judge panel presiding over the Kwara State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday maintained varied positions over the purported relocation of the sitting to Abuja.
The development is coming on the heels of the allegation that the President of the court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa summoned the state chairman of the tribunal and its members to Abuja thereby stalling the proceedings that were scheduled for hold Thursday (today) and tomorrow (Friday) in Ilorin.
Online report which went viral on many social media platform and whatsApp groups in the state alleged that the panel received an order to return to Abuja shortly after they returned to Ilorin from Abuja on Monday for the court proceedings.
The report further alleged the judges were told to stop sitting in Ilorin that the tribunal has been relocated to the Federal Capital Territory.
Both the chairman of the Kwara State chapter of the PDP, Engr. Kola Shittu and Tribunal Secretary, Barrister Anefu Peter Simon traded words over the report on Wednesday.
According to Shittu who spoke during a telephone conversation on the issue, the panel were earlier summoned initially to Abuja before they later learnt that sitting will continue in Ilorin.
“They were (initially) summoned to Abuja, there is no doubt about that, before we latter learnt that there will be sitting in Ilorin on Thursday. The speculation was rife that they wanted the case to continue in Abuja which had precedence in another state. The question is why where they summoned in the first.
“Definitely we are not talking rubbish and they should just do the right thing by holding the tribunal here in Ilorin and we are not fighting anybody, he added.
The PDP had kicked against the purported relocation of Tribunal to Abuja in a statement by the chairman adding that such action “reeks of suspicion and calls for concern.” He, therefore, called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate the issue.
“The PDP condemns in very strong terms the sudden relocation of the Kwara Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to Abuja by the president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa.
“All members of the Tribunal who had arrived Ilorin yesterday to continue proceedings today (Tuesday, 8 July) were surprisingly asked by the Court of Appeal president to halt hearings and report back to Abuja. We are surprised by this decision… as there is no security concern or any other cogent or reasonable reason that could have warranted the movement of the tribunal to Abuja or any other place.
“This is no doubt (this is) part of the desperate plot by some anti-democratic forces within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to influence the proceedings and eventual outcome of the petition. We are, therefore, calling on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to probe the sudden and suspicious movement of the tribunal to Abuja. We also call on all members of the tribunal not to allow themselves to be cheaply manipulated by desperate politicians and undemocratic elements. They must hold their own and ensure they discharge their duties without fear or favour”, the statement added.
However, speaking with this medium on Telephone yesterday, the secretary of the Election Tribunal, Barrister Anefu Peter Simon who confirmed the panel had called to Abuja, denied any order to relocate the tribunal adding that the proceeding could not go on as scheduled simply because the panel had an urgent meeting with the DCA in Abuja.
(The purported relocation) “Was the personal imagination of those writers, there was nothing like the relocation of the election tribunal. Yes, they were in Abuja but not in connection of the movement of tribunal to anywhere. There was nothing that warranted that, the panel is back already as we speak.
“I was shocked when I saw the news myself. If there is anyone who should issue official statement on the issue, it is supposed to me as the secretary. In court yesterday, I did address the lawyers that there was urgent call from the DCA to the chairman and members of the panel and that they will be back today, (yesterday),” Simon stressed.
He however added that since the judges are back in Ilorin, the sitting will continue on (Thursday) today stressing that all counsels who are involved in the matter should come prepared for the trial.
Recall that the tribunal had on last 14th June adjourned the sitting to 9th July for the PDP and its governorship flagbearer to continue its case over the allegation of certificate leveled against Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
During the pre-hearing trial, Salman Jawondo, counsel to the second respondent (Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq) had tendered photocopy of WAEC certificate of another person to the tribunal to show that names or initials of candidates can be abbreviate.
Counsel to the PDP governorship candidate and the PDP in the state, Kingsley Odeh, argued that West African Examination Council (WAEC) does not abbreviate surname, even if it were to abbreviate first names.