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There was a mild drama before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja yesterday as a factional Chairman of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) filed an application seeking to withdraw a petition challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 23 Presidential election.
The party and its presidential candidate, Chief Ambrose Oworu, had approached the tribunal to challenge the election of Buhari.
However, at the pre-hearing session, the tribunal noted that there were two pending applications before it, filed on June 18, 2019 by a factional National Chairman of the party, Poland Awinitabre.
While the first application sought the striking out of the name of the party from the petition, the second is seeking for a change of counsel.
While the first application sought the striking out of the name of the party from the petition, the second is seeking for a change of counsel.
Awinitabre had, at the last sitting of the tribunal, openly disowned the counsel for the HDP and Oworu.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yunus Usman (SAN), that of President Buhari, Osaro Eghobamien (SAN) and Charles Edosamwam (SAN), confirmed to the tribunal that they have been respectively served with the application.
Counsel to Owuru and the HDP, Oliver Eya, who filed the petition and has been appearing in court, said he was not aware of the said applications.
Eya, however, asked the tribunal to disregard the applications as it did not emanate from his clients.
He specifically told the tribunal that the applications were filed by some busy bodies and meddlesome interlopers who are not known to the petitioners.
Eya, however, asked the tribunal to disregard the applications as it did not emanate from his clients.
He specifically told the tribunal that the applications were filed by some busy bodies and meddlesome interlopers who are not known to the petitioners.
This was after acknowledging that the two applications were served on him in court.
However, counsel to the APC, Edosamwan, drew the attention of the tribunal to a counter affidavit filed by the presidential candidate of HDP and the first petitioner, Owuru, against the two applications.
However, counsel to the APC, Edosamwan, drew the attention of the tribunal to a counter affidavit filed by the presidential candidate of HDP and the first petitioner, Owuru, against the two applications.
Responding, Justice Mohammed Garba said since the applications have become part of the process in the tribunal’s file, it is only pertinent to hear them.
Meanwhile, Eya prayed that since the applications were served on him in court, he needed time to respond to them.
In his short ruling, the tribunal held that “in view of the fact that the applications were served on Eya earlier in the morning, his request is hereby granted.”
The tribunal consequently adjourned to June 25 for hearing of the applications. (New Telegraph)
