Absence of witnesses stall Gov. Yusuf’s opening defence

By Ramatu Garba

Hearings in Governor Abba Yusuf’s opening defence before the Kano State Election Petition Tribunal were halted on Friday due to the absence of three witnesses.

The APC is contesting INEC’s announcement of Yusuf of the NNPP as the winner of the March 18 poll.

INEC, Yusuf, and the NNPP are the respondents.

When the petition was called, Yusuf’s counsel, Mr. Eyitayo Fatigun, SAN, informed the court that the three witnesses they had summoned were not present.

“We apologies for the delay in getting the three witnesses to Kano from Abuja. “My Lord, we request a postponement,” Fatigun remarked.

Emmanuel Osayomi, the INEC’s counsel, and John Olusola SAN, the NNPP’s counsel, did not object to the prayer.

Offiong Offiong SAN, counsel for the petitioner, did not oppose the second respondent’s motion for an adjournment.

Earlier on July 15, the APC dropped their case after questioning 32 witnesses, while INEC dropped its case on July 21.

Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay delayed the hearing to Saturday to allow the NNPP to present its case.

APC is also requesting a declaration that the NNPP has no candidate because Yusuf’s name was not on the party registration submitted to INEC at the time of the poll.

NAN