Hoodlums attack APC witnesses at Ekiti Tribunal

    Police firing tear gas at rioters in Ekiti

Hoodlums attack APC witnesses at

Ekiti Tribunal

 July 1 , 2015

 Written by Odunayo Ogunmola ,

The Ekiti State High Court complex in Ado -

Ekiti, the state capital , was in chaos

yesterday as suspected Peoples

Democratic Party ( PDP ) hoodlums beat up

witnesses, who testified before the Election

Petitions Tribunal.

The three - man panel was hearing a

petition filed by the All Progressives

Congress ( APC ) senatorial candidate in

Ekiti Central, Gbenga Olofin , who is

challenging the return of Senator Fatimat

Rasaki of the PDP .

Also beaten up were Olofin’ s supporters

who were in court to witness the

proceedings.

Olofin closed his case after calling eight

witnesses. Mrs . Rasaki opened her defence

by testifying .

A lengthy argument ensued between

lawyers of both parties on the admissibility

of the voter register used for the election .

Counsel to the petitioner Yemi George

argued in favour of the admissibility of the

voter register but the respondent’ s

counsel , Jude Ogodi , opposed the motion

on the grounds that it was not initially

listed as an evidence .

The Tribunal Chairman, Justice A . N .

Erabor , admitted the voter register as

evidence .

But suspected hoodlums , who are mostly

women, believed to be loyal to the

respondent, attacked the petitioner ’ s

witnesses and supporters .

The suspected thugs laid ambush at the

gate of the complex looking for APC

members .