The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has fixed April 22 for the adoption of final addresses on the state governorship election petition.

The tribunal also directed parties involved in the matter to file and exchange their processes before the adjourned date.

The PUNCH reports that once final addresses are adopted in a case, the next stage is the delivery of judgment on the matter.

The All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, approached the tribunal to challenge the outcome of the November 2023 governorship poll which produced Douye Diri as the winner of the election.

The tribunal led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye-led three-member tribunal scheduled the matter for the adoption of addresses, after Diri, his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, and the Peoples Democratic Party closed their defence.

Diri’s witness, the Secretary of the PDP in Bayelsa, Gesiye Isowo, tendered the official result of the election as well as the final declaration of the result, which were contained in INEC’s forms EC8D and EC8E among others.

While being cross-examined by counsel for the petitioners, Sylvester Elema( SAN), the witness told the tribunal that he registered and voted at Unit 9, Ward 10 in Kolokuma/Okpokuma Local Government Area.

He said, “There was restriction of movement on the day of the election. I did not go to Nembe, Ogbia, and Southern Ijaw because of the restriction, but I had agents in all the polling units. I was in constant touch with my agents in all the LGAs. ”

Asked if it was true that the National and State Assembly elections were held in the state in February and March 2023, the witness said he was in court only with respect to the governorship election.

“I am not INEC. If you ask about my party’s primary, then I should know,” he said.

The petitioners had contended that voter registers that were tendered in evidence and marked as Exhibits R1- R19 by the tribunal were only used for the National Assembly election and not the governorship poll.

However, in his evidence, the witness insisted that the registers were used for the governorship poll.

The petitioners, however, opposed the admissibility of the register, adding that the register was not given to them before hand as directed by the tribunal.

On their part, the respondents urged the tribunal to disregard the objection and admit the exhibit as it was relevant to the case.

The witness also told the tribunal that some of the voter registers were not ticked because elections were not held in those areas.

The witness insisted that INEC discharged its function creditably by conducting the election in compliance with provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Electoral Act 2022, adding however that there was wilful resistance to the use of BVAS by the APC and its agents.

He told the tribunal that in various wards in Nembe LGA, no vote was recorded, indicating that the election was not held there.

The witness noted that contrary to what the petitioners produced before the tribunal, pink copies of results were not given to agents of political parties or security agencies.

“Pink copies are only for INEC,” he insisted.

He further told the court that voters registered for areas where the APC produced election results, were not ticked and no vote was recorded there.

The deputy governor, Ewhrudjakpo, produced a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Gowon Toruyouyei as his witness.

While being cross-examined, the witness confirmed that the deputy governor is a legal practitioner whose Call to Bar certificate was listed in INEC’s form.

Asked if, in all his interactions with the third respondent, he could be described as an illiterate, the witness, said, “He could not have been an illiterate. He is very educated.

“I will describe him as someone that has the requisite experience and qualification to be elected into any office in the country.”

In its defence, the PDP brought a former Attorney General of Bayelsa State, Talford Ongolo, as its witness.

He maintained that Sylva could not have been validly sponsored for the election by the APC, having already been elected as governor twice.

“I worked as the DG of his campaign at one time, so all these facts are within my knowledge,” he added

The witness said he was not present at Ogbia and Nembe LGAs on the election day, “but virtually, I was there.”(PUNCH NEWS)