The Ebonyi state election tribunal has officially kicked off its proceedings in Abuja with the petition of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and its governorship candidate in the March governorship election Ifeanyi Odii, challenging the election of the Governor-elect, Francis Nwifuru.
The Tribunal which began it’s sitting in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital, but relocated to Abuja on security grounds.
Only three petitions are pending before the tribunal In one of the petitions, the PDP is challenging the victory of APC during the governorship election.
At the beginning of the tribunal’s sitting, the chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice A I Ogunmoye asked for the cooperation of all parties to facilitate speedy delivery of justice.
Each of the counsel to the parties took turns to pledge their support to the justices and their willingness to aid the quick dispensation of justice.
During the pre-hearing proceedings counsel for the PDP and its standard bearer, Ifeanyi Odii presented and adopted their pre-hearing information sheet and also prayed the court to allow them streamline their witnesses.
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This request was objected by INEC, APC and governor-elect Francis Nwifuru who after adopting their pre-hearing applications, insisted the number of witnesses and the time required be decided among them before presenting them to the court.
The PDP and Odii are asking the Tribunal to declare that Nwifuru, who contested and won on the platform of the APC, is not qualified as he remained a member of the PDP and the party never sponsored him for any election.
The Petitioners also cited a subsisting judgment by Justice Henry Njoku of the Ebonyi State High Court, which ruled that Nwifuru and other lawmakers of Ebonyi State House of Assembly who purportedly defected to the APC are still members of the PDP.
The PDP candidate, Ifeanyi Odii came second in the Governorship election with 80,191 votes, behind Nwifuru who scored 199,131 votes to emerge winner.
Hearing resumes next Friday.
Editor: Oloyede Oworu
