ABUJA – The House of Representatives Election Petitions Tribunal in Yobe sitting in FCT concluded its pre-trial session on Monday, the News gency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The Tribunal heard the petition filed by Hon. Ali Yakubu of All Progressives Congress (APC) against Sabo Garba of Peoples Democratic Party and two others.
Yakubu was challenging the election of Garba into the Federal House of Representatives.
The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Frances Ikponmwen, declared the pre-trial concluded after hearing from all the counsel involved in the petition.
Earlier, the Counsel for the first respondent, Mr Mahamud Magaji (SAN) and counsel to the third respondent Mr Alhassan Umar, had orally applied for extension of time to enable them to file answers to the issues raised by the petitioner’s counsel.
However, Counsel to the petitioner, Prof. Ojo Amupitan (SAN), objected to the application, saying the tribunal was a special court with time frame.
The judge, after hearing from all sides involved, refused the application for extension of time by the counsel for the third respondent.
He said the application was `incompetent` whereas that of the first respondent was also refused because it was adjudged to be “without merit.’’
Consequently, the third respondent was foreclosed from responding to the issues raised by the petitioner at this pre-trial stage.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
The Tribunal chairman then adjourned hearing until June 18. (NAN)
you may also like:
Illegal meeting: IYC suspends 5 members, warns against crisis in Ijawland
