Drama as classmate testifies against Kebbi Dep Gov at tribunal

Usman Umar

Old classmate of Kebbi State Deputy Governor, at the disputed Sultan Abubakar College Sokoto, Aminula Umar has testified against him before the governorship election tribunal sitting in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.

While being cross examined at the tribunal by the respondent's and petitioner's counsels, the classmate said he and the deputy governor, Abubakar Umar did not sit for examination in the school in 1979 because they were expelled.

He was called as witness as the deputy governor was closing his defence at the tribunal against the petition filled by the PDP Governorship candidate, General Aminu Bande's (rtd) challenging the victory of the APC governorship candidates, Governor Nasiru Idris and his Deputy Umar Abubakar Tafida. Bande in his petition has joined Governor Nasiru Idris, his Deputy, Umar Abubakar Tafida,INEC and APC in the suit before the tribunal.

Governor Nasiru Idris of the APC, first respondent in the case filled by the PDP governorship candidate on Monday closed his defence without a witness but presented eight documents to the tribunal.

While cross examining the deputy governor's classmate, lead counsel to the petitioner, Ibrahim K. Bawa (SAN argued that in one breath the classmate said he and the  third respondent did not write exams in the school in 1979. But in his statement on oath he deposed that he and the third respondent completed their secondary education at sultan Abubakar College in Sokoto and that the third respondent was not expelled.

He asked the deputy governor's witness to choose what he wants the tribunal to accept on the statement he made on oath and documents indicating they both graduated in 1979 and another document and testimony saying he and the deputy governor were expelled from the school, but the witness maintained that he wants the tribunal to accept that he and the third respondent were not expelled and that they graduated in 1979 from the school.

In his defence, the third respondent who is the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar  Umar Tafida subpoened two officials from Sokoto state Ministry of Basic and secondary schools education to tender documents and also testified at the tribunal.

The first witness who identified himself as Director Examination, Mustapha Idris Musa represented the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Schools by tribunal subpoena. He said "I am here to tender documents only and not to testify".

After tendering the documents, counsel to the 3rd respondant, K. K Elejah (SAN) asked the tribunal to discharge him.

The second witness who was a sole administor of the school confirmed to the tribunal that he certified the contentious testimonial of the deputy governor having sat for mock examination in the school in1979. He also tendered a broad sheet containing names of students who registered and sat for mock examination in the school in the said year.