Yakubu Busari, Jos
The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal holding in Jos, on Thursday fixed May 29 for pre-hearing in a suit filed by Hon Danjuma Haruna & an or. , challenging the victory Engr Solomon Maren & two orders for Bokkos /Mangu Federal House of Representative . Included also is the suit by the Former Secretary to the state government , Hon Rufus Bature Daniel challenging Hon Gyang Istisfanu Dung & two orders.
Barr Zulfa Rimven, the counsel to Rufus Bature Daniel on Thursday urged the tribunal to adopt answers to questions filed on the May 2, 2019 seeking for extension of time to enable regularise some application’s filed.
He asked the tribunal to give him five days within which to enable him complete some of his applications, which the tribunal granted.
Barr. Harrison Uguala the counsel to the first respondent told the tribunal at the pre -hearing that base on the application filed by the APC defeated candidate, he has replied on the May 3, 2019.
He drew the attention of the 3- man tribunal to adopt his pre -hearing answers to questions filed by petitioner counsel and urged the tribunal to set aside the victory of his client .
Barr Sunny Odey counsel to the second respondent in his reply dated 4th May,2019 and filed same date was adopted , though he asked for four days to complete it.
The third respondent, Emmanuel Akhayere also filed his response to the petitioner questions and answers on 6th May,2019 and it was adopted it for further argument .
Odey also applied to strike out a joint application dated on the 5th April,2019 and filed on 8th April,2019 which is bring 1&2 respondent was granted .
In the petition No EPT/PL/NA/01/2019 filed by Hon Danjuma Haruna and the All Progressive Congress , they sued the tribunal to quash the election of the current serving Assembly member ,Hon Solomon Maren over claim of irregularities .
Meanwhile, the Senatorial petition involving the the Plateau Northern senatorial seat where the APC defeated candidate Hon Rufus Bature Daniel challenged the victory of ID Gyang of the People Democratic Party, PDP, also came up for hearing. So too was the House of Representative where Counsel to Mangu Bokkos for the Federal House of Representative, Barr. M Y Dalung (petitioner) told the tribunal that the matter was slated for Thursday for adoption of pre-hearing answers to questions filed on 2nd May, 2019 and filed same day has been adopted.
Meanwhile, Barr. Nathaniel Umide,who represented INEC stated that INEC can’t file any response to the petitioner and therefore sought permission from the tribunal for five days to enable him regularise some application’s filed .
After hearing from all the counsels, Tribunal Chairman, N Ezeogwu adjourned the matter to the May 20 continued pre-hearing .
