The suit challenging the outcome of the Kogi State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primaries came up for hearing at the Lokoja High Court on presided over by Justice Richard Olorunfemi on Friday.
But after hours of legal rigmarole, the trial judge adjourned the matter till Wednesday, November 6th.
This was after Hon. Eric Fiki, agent to Abubakar Ibrahim, and principal witness to the main challenger to the Peoples Democratic Party Governorship ticket for the forthcoming November election in Kogi State, told the court that the 3rd September governorship primaries was inconclusive as gun men invaded the venue and disrupted the process.
According to Hon Fiki, following the pandemonium after the gunshots at the venue of the primaries, he lost consciousness and didn’t know what happened to the ballot papers that were scattered all over the ground. He said he only woke up later and found himself on a hospital bed.
Fiki maintained that following the gunshots that rocked the venue of the PDP primaries, it left several casualties prompting security agencies and delegates to scamper for safety.
He pointed out that it was difficult accepting the result of the governorship primaries committee and that of the security agencies as the election was not free, fair and concluded, neither was the security report a correct assessment of what transpired.
But during cross examination, Counsel to the PDP Governorship Candidate, J. S Okutepa, SAN, told the court that Hon. Fiki is no longer a member of the PDP and hinging his argument on Section 223, 232 and 233 of the evidence act 2011, presented an online report and pictures showing that he has dumped the PDP and now a member of the APC. He argued that as such the witness lacked the integrity to his credit to serve as a principal witness.
Similarly, Okutepa pointed out that while the Kogi State Police Commissioners report who is a security expert showed that no casualty was recorded following the gunshots at the venue of the primaries, he also added that the police report maintained that all materials were fully recovered and handed over to the Chairman of the primaries election committee.
In his submission, Otaru Rowland Otaru, SAN, counsel to Abubakar Ibrahim, opposed the submission by defense counsels, urged the court to disregard the submission made in exhibit C15 and C16, pointing out that at a later day he will make his submission rejecting the issues raised by the defense counsel when he will be addressing the court.
In his ruling, Justice Olorunfemi, adjourned the suit to November 6th for the defense.