By Peter Duru
MAKURDI- Tempers rose at yesterday’s sitting of Benue State Governorship Election Tribunal in Makurdi as counsel to Prof. Steve Ugbah of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and that of Governor Gabriel Suswam, Damian Dodo, SAN, exchanged words after the ACN counsel insisted Governor Suswam should be compelled to table his multiple WAEC certificates before the court.

Akeredolu had contended that the issue of multiple certificates should not be swept under the carpet, insisting that it is pivotal to the determination of the case. His comments did not go down well with Dodo who urged Akeredolu to show decorum in his choice of words.

Dodo further asked that Akeredolu be made to enter the witness box to testify that the governor possesses multiple certificates.

The action of the two senior lawyers however, angered the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Halima Mohammed who stood up from her seat and rebuked the counsel.

The justice said: “Do you people think that we are here to joke and waste time? Akeredolu, we expect you as father of the lawyers here, being a former NBA national President to lead by example.”

Not bothered by the comments of the tribunal chairman, Akeredolu maintained that nobody will teach him how to argue his case and asked Dodo to concentrate on his matter.

Earlier, Akeredolu acknowledged receipt of replies from Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to the petitioner’s application, wherein they requested that judgment be delivered on ground three of their petition which bothered on certificate forgery.

Justice Mohammed adjourned sitting till Monday for ruling.

On the motion.

Suswam filed his reply out of time and had to regularise it orally, but this was not opposed by other counsel in court.

The petitioners later requested that judgement be entered in their favour on the grounds that Suswam lacked the requisite qualification to contest the 2011 gubernatorial election in the state.

However, Dodo contended that it was out of place for the petitioners to request the delivery of judgement in the matter when they are yet to call their witnesses to prove their case.