By; RALPH OKHIRIA,Benin.
The Edo state governorship election tribunal sitting in Benin City has fixed 12th December 2016, to commence pre-hearing of the petition filed before it by the PDP and its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The PDP and its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu are challenging the INEC results which gave victory in the September 28, 2016 state governorship elections to the APC candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ahmed Badamasi and the other two tribunal members, in fixing the date at Wednesday’s sitting commended the counsels to both petitioners and respondents who met, resolved and agreed on the new date, among other issues.
He said the actions and decisions of the counsels were not “only welcome and approved by the court”, saying, “all applications will now be taken alongside the substantive petition”.
On the inspection of ballot papers, for which the PDP counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, wanted the tribunal’s intervention on account of what he called plots to frustrate the process by the respondents and the INEC, Justice Badamasi reaffirmed his earlier order.
He advised parties who may have any complaints to do the needful by approaching the tribunal, adding, “Our earlier ruling stands. Parties which feel that the order is not being adhered to should come with an application to show the areas where the order is not being complied with”.
All the senior counsels from both the petitioners and the respondents’ side had engaged each other in a meeting and resolved amongst others, that pre-hearing be fixed for Monday 12th December, 2016 while the tribunal proper shall commence in January 2017.
