Jime Vs Ortom: Tension as tribunal admits 410 documents in evidence

By: Denen Achussah

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital has admitted 410 documents as exhibits in a petition brought by Emmanuel Jime, All Progressives Congress (APC) against the return of Samuel Ortom as Governor of Benue State.

Jime and APC are petitioners while Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ortom, PDP are respondents.

The documents, listed as forms EC8D (Collation of result at state level), Form EC8E (Declaration of election result form), Form EC8C (LGAs Collation at LGA levels) for Seven LGAs of Agatu, Buruku, Gboko, Guma, Gwer East, Gwer West and Logo.

They were admitted and marked as exhibits B1 to B410 following application to that effect by lead counsel who appeared for the petitioners Kehinde Kolawole Eleja SAN.

Eleja SAN prayed the court: “The schedule of documents that have been jointly inspected and mutually consented to be tendered from the Bar by the parties dated the 9th July, 2019 and signed by counsels to the parties in this petition has been filed, this day 9th July, 2019.

“In the circumstances I humbly apply to tender the documents listed in the schedule as exhibits in this petition. The documents are listed on pages 1 to 22.

“They are already in the custody of the registry. I pray that the said documents be admitted in evidence.”

None of the respondents’ lead counsels objected to the admissibility of the documents.

In his ruling, Chairman of the Tribunal Hon Justice Adeleye Olusiyi granted the application as prayed.

He held that the schedule of documents refers to by the learned senior counsel to the petitioners forms part of the tribunal, having being filed on 9th July, 2019.

He noted that counsel to the petitioners has “tendered from the Bar all documents itemised herein to which there is no objection from the respondents’ counsels. There are 410 documents itemised herein. All the documents are hereby admitted in evidence and are marked B1 to B410 in the order they are itemised.”

In another ruling, Hon Justice Olusiyi granted the petitioners one more day to conclude joint inspection of documents.

He therefore, adjourned to Thursday, 11th July, 2019 for continuation of hearing.