RIVERS STATE: Peterside Wants Election Materials Moved to Abuja for Inspection.
The All Progressives Congress and its governorship candidate in the April 11, 2015 election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, have asked the state Governorship Election PetitionS Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, to order the Independent National Electoral Commission to move the materials used for the election from Port Harcourt, the state capital, to Abuja, for inspection.
APC and Peterside made this request in an application, which they filed following an alleged continued refusal by INEC to obey the order for inspection made by the tribunal on June 11, 2015.
Peterside and the APC had on May 3, 2015, filed their petition before the tribunal to challenge the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Nyesom Wike, in the poll.
The petitioners had earlier complained to the Justice Muazu Pindiga-led tribunal that INEC was working with the PDP and Wike to frustrate the inspection of the election materials.
Following the petitioners’ complaint, the tribunal on July 9 re-affirmed the order of inspection, directing INEC to comply with it.
At the Wednesday’s proceedings, the petitioners’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), informed the court that INEC had refused to yield to the tribunal’s order for inspection.
“Your lordship made an order on June 11 for inspection of election materials. The order was restated on July 9. That order has not been obeyed by INEC,” Olujinmi said.
He confirmed after the proceedings that he had filed an application seeking an order, compelling INEC to move the election materials to Abuja for inspection since “they have made inspection impossible in Rivers State”.
Earlier, Olujinmi urged the tribunal to disregard the arguments canvassed by the respondents, challenging among others, competence of his clients’ petition and proceed to hear the case on merit.
The respondents argued through their respective lawyers – Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) for the PDP, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) for Wike and Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) for INEC.
Olujinmi argued that the respondents were only raising technical issues rather than allow the petitioners present their case.
Olanipekun, while arguing his client’s motion challenging, among others, the competence of the petition, urged the court to strike out some portions of it, including part of the petitioners’ prayers on the ground that they did not comply with the provision of the Electoral Act.
Wike is challenging Peterside’s qualification to contest the election, arguing that his (Peterside’s) name was nor sent to INEC within 21 days before his party’s congress as required, a claim Olujinmi denied, insisting that his clients complied with all relevant laws in fielding Peterside for the election.
INEC, in its application, is challenging the territorial jurisdiction of the tribunal to sit in Abuja, a position Olujinmi faulted, insisting that the tribunal possesseD the jurisdiction to hear and determine his clients’ petition.
The tribunal, which rose shortly after 6pm, fixed July 29 for ruling on the applications by INEC and Wike.
It also fixed ruling for July 31 in the application by the PDP.
The All Progressives Congress and its governorship candidate in the April 11, 2015 election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, have asked the state Governorship Election PetitionS Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, to order the Independent National Electoral Commission to move the materials used for the election from Port Harcourt, the state capital, to Abuja, for inspection.
APC and Peterside made this request in an application, which they filed following an alleged continued refusal by INEC to obey the order for inspection made by the tribunal on June 11, 2015.
Peterside and the APC had on May 3, 2015, filed their petition before the tribunal to challenge the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Nyesom Wike, in the poll.
The petitioners had earlier complained to the Justice Muazu Pindiga-led tribunal that INEC was working with the PDP and Wike to frustrate the inspection of the election materials.
Following the petitioners’ complaint, the tribunal on July 9 re-affirmed the order of inspection, directing INEC to comply with it.
At the Wednesday’s proceedings, the petitioners’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), informed the court that INEC had refused to yield to the tribunal’s order for inspection.
“Your lordship made an order on June 11 for inspection of election materials. The order was restated on July 9. That order has not been obeyed by INEC,” Olujinmi said.
He confirmed after the proceedings that he had filed an application seeking an order, compelling INEC to move the election materials to Abuja for inspection since “they have made inspection impossible in Rivers State”.
Earlier, Olujinmi urged the tribunal to disregard the arguments canvassed by the respondents, challenging among others, competence of his clients’ petition and proceed to hear the case on merit.
The respondents argued through their respective lawyers – Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) for the PDP, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) for Wike and Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) for INEC.
Olujinmi argued that the respondents were only raising technical issues rather than allow the petitioners present their case.
Olanipekun, while arguing his client’s motion challenging, among others, the competence of the petition, urged the court to strike out some portions of it, including part of the petitioners’ prayers on the ground that they did not comply with the provision of the Electoral Act.
Wike is challenging Peterside’s qualification to contest the election, arguing that his (Peterside’s) name was nor sent to INEC within 21 days before his party’s congress as required, a claim Olujinmi denied, insisting that his clients complied with all relevant laws in fielding Peterside for the election.
INEC, in its application, is challenging the territorial jurisdiction of the tribunal to sit in Abuja, a position Olujinmi faulted, insisting that the tribunal possesseD the jurisdiction to hear and determine his clients’ petition.
The tribunal, which rose shortly after 6pm, fixed July 29 for ruling on the applications by INEC and Wike.
It also fixed ruling for July 31 in the application by the PDP.
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