From Yakubu Busari,Jos
The Election Petition Tribunal sitting on the petition filed by the Plateau Northern Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Amb. Christopher Giwa challenging the election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ,Dr Simon Mmadkon on the February 25, general election, has granted the application to serve the notice of the petition through substituted means to the candidate of the PDP, Labour Party’s Gyang Zi and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Governor Simon Bako Lalong is also challenging INEC for delivery Napoleon Bali of the PDP winner of Plateau South Senatorial District.
The petitioner counsel James Attah filed a motion of experte applications dated 01/04/2023 and filed on the same dated seeking the tribunal order to effect service on the 2nd & 3rd respondents to deliver and pace on the office of the PDP’s state and national secretariat and the Tribunal office at West of Mines a three- paragraph- attached affidavit with written address through oral application.
However, the second motion dealing with the House of Assembly was that of former Deputy Speaker, Rt.Hon. Ibrahim Baba-Hassan of the APC challenging the election of Musa Agah Avia of the PDP through motion of experte application dated 22nd of March, 2023 and also that of Mohammed Awwal Alkali of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP against the APC and INEC on substituted service.
The motion of experte dated 27th March, 2023 filed on the same date seeking the following relief to effect service on the 2nd & 3rd ,4th,5th &6th respondents containing 7 paragraphs, affidavit depose by one Z.U.Usman and written as oral argument to be serve on all the respondents office in Jos and Abuja .
Also seeking relief from the tribunal for the Jos South /Jos East Federal constituency was Hon .Gideon Dandereng of APC versus Musa Bagos of the PDP through an experte motion filed Barr.A.A.Ibrahim the petitioner’s counsel.
Ibrahim explained that the motion experte dated 28-03-2023 is praying for an order of the tribunal to serve PDP and Musa Bagos under section 4(14) with two ground 6 paragraphs affidavit accompanied the motion to 2nd &3rd .
Other also granted substituted service are Hon. Vincent Venmak Vs Beni Lar of the PDP and INEC as well as Daniel Asama of the Labour Party challenging Hon .Musa Agah. Another case is that of Hon Ziphon Chrysanthus of PDP vs Yusuf Adamu Gagdi
Others are Barr. Timloh Fyenda of New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, urging the tribunal to dismiss the victory of AVM Napoleon Bali over the omission of logo and no compliance with the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act for the Plateau South senatorial Constituency.
He urged the tribunal to quash and pronounced him winner of the Plateau south and Shendam ,Quaanpan and Mikang Federal constituency was challenge by Hon.John Dafaan of APC towards effecting service on Hon Isaac Kwalu and that Langtang North-South Federal constituency, Vincent Venmak against Beni Lar .
Barr Timloh Fyenda had challenged Napo Bali’s victory at the poll before the tribunal and also joined the Independent National Electoral Commission and the PDP in the suit.
Napoleon Bali was announced by INEC as winner of the just concluded National Assembly elections.
The petitioners stated that all winners didn’t score the number of lawful votes cast at the Senatorial Districts election and ought not to have been declared winners.
