The Nasarawa and Benue state election petition tribunal has commenced sitting in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital.
At a combined inaugural sitting, the chairman of the three-man panel of justices, Justice Ezekiel Oyeyemi Ajayi called for cooperation of all the legal counsel for smooth and timely dispensation of justice.
Joe Gadzama, SAN who responded on behalf of all the counsel promised to cooperate with the panel of justices to enable them to do their work seamlessly in the interest of democracy and the rule of law.
When the first petition by the Nasarawa state governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2023 governorship election, David Emmanuel Ombugadu against the governor of Nasarawa state, Abdullahi Sule was mentioned for pre-hearing, the lead counsel to the petitioner, Joe Gadzama adopted the petition.
While addressing the tribunal, counsel to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respondents, Ishaka Dikko, Adebayo Ade, and Hassan Liman, SANs adopted their answers to the pre-hearing respectively.
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In his ruling, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ezekiel Oyeyemi Ajayi fixed the 9th of June, 2023 for the continuation of pre-hearing.
The tribunal also entertained the petition by the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP challenging the declaration of Abdullahi Sule as the governor of Nasarawa state by INEC.
In the case between Benue state governor, Hyacinth Alia, and the PDP governorship candidate Titus Uba, the tribunal adjourned sitting to 8 June 2023 for continuation of pre-hearing.
(Editor : Ena Agbanoma)
