Barring last minute changes, the gubernatorial election petition tribunal sitting in Katsina will adopt written addresses of lawyers in the petition filed by former speaker of House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari, challenging the election of Governor Shehu Shema.
The three-man tribunal had at the close of hearing of the petition on September 27, ordered parties to file written address with the directive that same would be adopted today after which a date would be fixed for judgment.
Former speaker Masari had approached the tribunal to contest the declaration by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)? that Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the April governorship election in the state.
Masari’s petition was brought on three grounds: that the? the election was void because of breach of the electoral Act; that Governor Shema did not get the majority of lawful votes, and that there were corrupt practices in the electoral process.
Meanwhile, Governor Shema and the PDP have opposed a motion filed by Masari seeking to amend an aspect of his petition.
Masari, in a motion filed before the tribunal, a copy of which was made available to LEADERSHIP, is seeking an order of the tribunal granting him leave to amend paragraph 16 of his petition.
In the said paragraph, Masari had stated that “the 1st respondent was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes” and since the 1st respondent in the petition was INEC, it showed an apparent gap.