The statement by Nehikhare is the latest development in the comedy series that the PDP has entertained the Edo Public with, since the Election Petition Tribunal began sitting this year. So far, it is either they have given the impression that they are there to play, or they are simply unprepared.
How Ize-Iyamu and the PDP have not sent their counsel packing is a mystery. They, with respect to proceedings at the tribunal, have been inconsistent in their presentations both to the tribunal itself and to the public.
They usually begin with bold steps only to follow them up with modifications of earlier claims or outright denials. The Tribunal’s proceedings so far are replete with cases of the petitioners’ counsel being turned down in their application to tendering new “evidence”.
This means the new evidence was not frontloaded in the original suit and they only tried to introduce midway into the proceedings.
Now in the latest of these inconsistencies, Nehikhare has claimed that his party never at any point asked for extra time while tendering their case before the tribunal.
The self-contradicting witnesses called by the party may be forgiven. However, what happens to a publicity secretary who has just contradicted his party’s counsel; an occurrence even reported by the dailies.
Nehikhare said, “It is pertinent at this time that PDP has concluded its case in the tribunal to let the good people of Edo State know that PDP did not ask for extension of time but requested for full compliance of the order as granted by the tribunal. The order was for the ballot papers used in four Local Government areas, Etsako West, Etsako East, Akoko Edo and Egor, to be recounted.”
Perhaps Nehikhare has not seen page 16 of The Guardian Newspaper, on February 11, 2017, which reported as follows: “The Edo State Governorship Election Tribunal yesterday evening refused to grant the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate in last September governorship election in the state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, an extension of time to call more witnesses, as the 14 days allowed it to present evidences and call witnesses ended at 1pm yesterday (Friday).
“Chairman of the three-member panel, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, said besides the tribunal lacking the powers for such an extension, the application for extension of time lacked merit and so it was refused”.
As can be understood from the last paragraph of the above statement, something must have prompted the judge to make such a comment. Or does Nehikhare mean to offend the sensibilities of the Tribunal Chairman by positing that the chairman imagined in his head the request for more time?
Is he saying Justice Badamasi got bored with the proceedings in court and decided to start imagining his own proceedings such that he would give rulings on requests that were not made? Nehikhare should explain all these to the Tribunal Chairman, really, if he meant no evil by his statement.
Nehikhare must remember that the petitioners had a period of 14 days to present their case and this period had elapsed. After counting, would they not have presented the results to the Tribunal? They failed to finish counting within the stipulated time and were therefore told to give their case a rest.
Yet, Nehikhare said the number of days allotted to the petitioners was more than enough to prove their case. Does Nehikhare, a publicity secretary, need a dictionary to understand the absurdity of his statements? If his party did not ask at any time for extension of time as he would have the public believe, what is he waiting for to sue The Guardian and other dailies for libel?
Saturday Vanguard Newspaper of the same date reported in page 5 that: “One of the counsel to Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State in the ongoing Election Petition Tribunal in Edo State, Ken Mozia (SAN) escaped death yesterday when youths allegedly loyal to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) attacked his Prado jeep after yesterday’s proceedings”.
Perhaps Nehikhare would find his time could be devoted better to saying something about the thugs who attacked Ken Moiza (SAN) as he left the court, instead of continually trying to pull off a sleight of words like an amateur linguistic impressionist.
Dr. Oviosun writes from Oredo Local Government Area, Benin City
