The Kano Governorship Election Tribunal sitting at Miller Road, has adopted the main Petitioner (APC) requests for an extension of time to enable it joined in the Litigation their main Counsel Effiong Effiong (SAN) against the Victory of NNPP/Abba Kabir Yusuf.
The Tribunal, Wednesday, reconvened for pre-hearing trial with the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the declaration of Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf as winner of the March 18th election in the state.
Also joined in the petition, include the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
At the resumed hearing of the pre-trial on the petition, APC countered the motion on notice filed by the first respondent (INEC) seeking to amend respond to petition as well as regularize some items in the process.
Counsel to INEC, E.A Oshayomi had sought the relieve of the tribunal to amend it’s reply to APC petition essentially reference to All Progressives Party (APP) instead of All Progressives Congress (APC), and amendment on list of witnesses on oath as well as other relevant review.
Counsels to Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf (second respondent) Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, and that of NNPP (third respondent) John Olushola, Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN did not objected to INEC application as tendered.
In a vehement objection, counsel to the petitioner, Nureini Jimoh, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, insisted that error of huge magnitude as elicited by INEC should not be tolerated for any excuse. Jimoh told the court that INEC’s error is deemed to mislead the petitioner in the first instance.
The senior lawyer who disclosed that matters of election petition tribunal at any point are time band that, which ought not to be allowed to elapse beyond the limit.
While buttressed his argument further with the provisions of section 45 (1) of electoral Act, Jimoh declared that INEC has exhausted its 14 days limit guaranteed by law to reply, thereby urged the court to disregard application.
The petitioner had earlier brought an application before the three men panel seeking the relieve of the court for extension of time before the hearing proper begin.
Expectedly, the application was rejected the three respondents who believed the petitioner had not reflected in clear terms in the it’s affidavit, the bases for the application.
In their ruling, the panel granted INEC application to amend it’s response to the petition on the basis that such amendment as not prejudice against the petitioner. The tribunal similarly considered the petitioner’s request for extension of time to enable their lead counsel Offiong Offiong, Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, who loss his spouse recently join the litigation.
The tribunal adjourned till Thursday 8th June (today) for continuation of pre-hearing of the governorship election petition trial.
