Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof Mahmood Yakubu did not show up at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal Thursday as ordered.
Chairman of the five panel, Justice Mohammed Garba had ordered on the INEC to appear before the tribunal on Wednesday by 12 pm on Thursday.
He was asked to come along with with the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Zamfara State, having been subpoenaed.
However at about 11.50am on Thursday morning when the tribunal stood down the Peoples Democratic Movement’s (PDM’s) proceedings to prepare ruling in an application, Yakubu nor the Zamfara REC were in Court.
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Counsel to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and the PDP, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), drew the court’s attention to the directive made on Wednesday regarding the subpoena order on the INEC boss.
“Is the chairman here now? Justice Garba asked counsel to INEC, Yunus Usman (SAN) in response to Uche SAN request.
Usman however assured the tribunal that they are working round the clock and that before 12 noon they will comply with the Court’s order.
At the end of proceedings in the PDM’s petition, Uche SAN again reminded the tribunal that the INEC boss was yet to appear in court.
Responding, Usman told the tribunal that the order of the court was to the “effect that documents should be produced, not that any person should appear before the tribunal”.
Usman further told Justice Garba that the order of the tribunal has been fully complied with with the tendering of the said subpoenaed documents.
The documents which were brought to court were accompanied by a written letter to the chairman of the tribunal.
Uche while commending Usman for the efforts, however requested for a copy of the letter to enable him ascertain if the documents were complete and same as the ones requested for.
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