From Yakubu Busari, Jos
The Election Petition Tribunal has adjourned the Plateau Northern Senatorial District rerun seat and Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency to April 29, 2024 for conclusion of pre-hearing session in Bauchi State .
The three man panel scheduled to commence pretrial of Election Petition Tribunal Chaired by Justice Cordelia Ogadi has ruled that all interlocutory applications should be filed within forty eight hours.
She said the petition was equally adjourned to Friday, April 19th, for hearing of interlocutory applications, in other words, motions to strike out the petitions, notice of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the petitions among others shall be consider .
The Election Tribunal was moved to Bauchi State High Court as the proceedings commenced proper hearing after adoption of guidelines on modus operandi from petitioners to respondents counsels .
However,on Monday April 15, 2024 four petitions were listed for pre-hearing, while three come from Plateau State with one petition from Bauchi.
The petitioners include; the All Progressives Congress (APC) Amb.Chris Giwa and Hon . Yakubu Shafi’u of the NNPP challenging the return of Senator Sen. Pam Mwadkon Dachungyang of the African Democratic Party,(ADP) before the election tribunal scheduled .
The Second petition was the Peoples Redemption Party,(PRP), Muhammad Adam Alkali, challenging the election of Hon . Daniel Adam of the Labour Party (LP)
In the pre-trial session, parties identified processes they filed, which encompasses the petitions, replies to the petitioners and respondents as well as the defendants reply to the main petition.
However, the petitioners and respondents, also adopted their answers to the pre-hearing session and issues for determination front loaded before the court.
The Plateau State ADP chairman, Hon. Bitrus Boyi Ngah and that of the labour party, Hon. Grace Zamfara were also on ground to offer support to their representatives.
In the same vein, Senator Pam Mwadkon Dachungyang was present in court and one of the petitioners, Shafi’u of the NNPP while Chris Giwa who filed the other petition against the election of Senator Dachungyang was nowhere to be found.
