Tony John, Port Harcourt
People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) in Rivers State, yesterday, tendered strategic polling units results from different local government areas to the Governorship Election Tribunal, to justify the victory of Governor Nyesom Wike.
The polling units results were tendered in respect of the petition filed against the election of Wike by the defeated governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Victor Fingesi.
PDP counsel, Godwin Obla (SAN), said the results were from 356 polling units.
Obla told the three-man tribunal that the result sheets were from some of the polling units in Obio/Akpor, Khana, Ogu/Bolo, Bonny, Akuku-Toru, Ahoada East, Opobo/Nkoro and other councils.
He informed the tribunal that the PDP resolved to tender the results to prove that elections held across the state at the polling units and declarations were made under peaceful atmosphere.
He added that since Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Governor Wike have called witnesses to prove that the governorship election was conducted in line with the Electoral Act, the PDP chose to prove the conduct of the elections through documentary evidence.
Addressing journalists after closing the PDP defence, Obla said from documentary evidence and oral testimonies of witnesses, the 2019 governorship election in Rivers was held in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act and Governor Wike emerged victorious.
He said: “This morning, on behalf of the third respondent, PDP, we tendered 356 exhibits in support of our case.
“We feel satisfied that the requirements of the law have been fully met and that is why we decided to close our case today.
“Don’t forget that the first respondent, INEC, called witnesses, the second respondent, Governor Wike, who is the candidate of the third respondent, PDP, called witnesses and tendered a lot of documents. The interest of the first, second and third respondents are actually the same.”
Also, Dolapo-Telle Attoni, ADP counsel, said: “The PDP presented a bundle of electoral documents they claimed INEC used in conducting the governorship election.
“They tendered about 356 alleged polling units results. We had asked for few minutes to study these same documents and also obtain certified true copy of the said documents.”
However, the tribunal has adjourned till September 16, for the adoption of addresses by parties in the petition filed by ADP and its governorship candidate, Fingesi.