By Ahmed Ahmed
Bauchi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal (GEPT) on Monday, held its inaugural sitting assuring that it will do everything possible to complete its assignment in 180 days in accordance with the laws.
The Chairman of the 3-man panel however called on Counsels to try as much as possible to avoid technicalities that will cause unnecessary delays.
He stressed that in accordance with the laws, the Tribunal has 180 days within which to complete its assignment saying that the Tribunal will work as stipulated.
The Secretary of the Tribunal refused to oblige Journalists coveting the proceedings, names of the 3-member Tribunal panel saying that she was not mandated to do that in spite of pleadings by the Journalists.
The Chairman assured that the Panel is prepared to hear and determine all the petitions brought before it within the time frame urging the Counsels to cooperate with the Tribunal.
He then announced adjournment of sitting to next week Monday when hearing of the petitions will commence calling on the Counsels to be time conscious.
Speaking to Journalists after the inaugural sitting, lead Counsel to APC and its gubernatorial candidate in the election in Bauchi state, Hakeem Afolabi SAN said that his team is prepared to pursue the petition to a logical conclusion.
The Legal Practitioner assured that the petition will be argued within the time frame stipulated stressing that his team will cooperate with the Tribunal in the dispensation of justice.
Hakeem Afolabi who is leading other Counsels to prosecute the APC and its gubernatorial candidate’s petition assures the Tribunal of the best of professional conduct throughout the petition.
On his part, the Counsels to PDP and its gubernatorial candidate, Barr Ben Ogbuchi assured that his legal team is ready to defend the case brought against his clients by the APC.
According to him, “We are ready to defend the mandate massively given to Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir as the Governor of Bauchi State by the people. As you can see, he was elected by the people of Bauchi State and we will stoutly defend the people’s mandate.”
Ben Ogbuchi said that, “We are well prepared to respond to the petitions, we have nothing to fear because the mandate is given by the people of the state.”