BREAKING: Bayelsa state deputy governor agrees to appear at the Tribunal after DSS report indicts him

Election Petition: hearing continues in Opuama’s case as tribunal strikes out Bayelsa deputy governor application to set aside subpoena.

Following the resumed hearing of the Bayelsa state governorship election petition tribunal on 2 June 2020, the tribunal has struck out an application brought by the fourth respondent (Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo) seeking to set aside the subpoena duces tecum issued by the court commanding him to tender the original certificate of exemption purported given him by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on 2 February 1998 in the name of Ewhrudjakpo Lawrence O.

The fourth respondent had through his team of lawyers led by Chukwuma-machukwu Ume, SAN, filed a motion on 17 May 2020 to set aside the subpoena on the grounds that that it was meant to spite and annoy the office of the fourth respondent who is the deputy governor of Bayelsa state. The fourth respondent also argued that the subpoena was a subtle attempt to self-incriminate himself in the allegation of forgery, falsification of documents, and perjury. The matter was adjourned until 2 June 2020 for hearing of the application.

However, the application was withdrawn by the deputy governor before it was taken. The tribunal accordingly struck it out without cost.

The court further ordered the deputy governor of Bayelsa state to appear on Thursday, 4 June 2020 after application made by his counsel for him to appear next week that Bayelsa state does not have an airport and the difficulty of traveling due to the Covid-19 lockdown was dismissed.

The motion with motion no. EPT/BY/GOV/02/M42/20 was accordingly struck out.

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