From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

There was a drama at the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, following the failure of a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mrs. Isikima Ogbomade Johnson, to produce witnesses lined up to prove the case of ineligibility she brought against the deputy-governorship candidate of the party,

Mr Great Joshua Maciver.

This is happening at a time when the Presidential Amnesty Office (PAP) has tendered an unreserved apology to Maciver over the poor documentation of the office, which has led to misrepresentations in some quarters.

Mrs. Johnson had, through her counsel, Mr. Kuroiyedoughe Elijah, on Friday, September 30, told Justice Olaide Quadri of the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, that she had lined up 10 witnesses against Maciver.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, October 3, five witnesses that were expected to appear did not show up, prompting her counsel to seek an adjournment to 7am yesterday.

However, drama occurred during yesterday’s resumed hearing when the only two witnesses produced did not come with relevant documents, prompting the counsel to seek another adjournment for today, October 5.

Counsels to the APC, and Chief Timipre Sylva alongside his deputy, Maciver; Mr. Sylvester Elema and Mr. Moses Ebute said they were ready to tackle the petitioner in court. While Elema insisted that the suit against Maciver was irretrievably flawed, Ebute expressed surprise that the witnesses had not been able to provide anything.    

Meanwhile, the Federal Government through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has issued an unreserved apology on behalf of the Amnesty Office for denying that Maciver was truly a beneficiary of the unconditional presidential pardon by late former president, Umaru Yar’Adua.

The letter signed by the interim administrator of PAP, Major General Barry Ndiomu (rted),  dated August 24, and sent through the office of the SGF, blamed the ‘urgency of confirmation’ by the technical and data unit of PAP for the misrepresentation of the presidential pardon status of Maciver.

Maciver, in his reaction to the letter said that he has always had confidence that he was innocent of the allegations levelled against him by the PDP.