Proceedings
at the Delta State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba today suffered
another major setback following the inability of the All Progressive Congress
(APC) and its gubernatorial candidate in the just concluded governorship
election, Olorogun Otega Emerhor, to provide details of the witnesses it
intends to call.
Chairman
of the three-man panel of tribunal, Justice Nasiru Gunmi had slated today for
commencement of substantive trial in the petition filed by APC and Labour Party
challenging the victory of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa at the polls.
The
tribunal had subpoenaed seven witnesses to be called by APC and Otega counsels
to support their claims in the petition at the tribunal.
At
the resumed hearing of the matter today, Counsel to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP
and INEC, Dr. Alex Izyion (SAN) and A.T Keyinde (SAN) respectively , raised a
preliminary objection through motion -on- notice, challenging the locus standi
of APC and Otega to call seven witnesses without availing them the opportunity
of knowing the details of the witnesses.
Izyion
argued that, “we were ready to start the trial for this week, in respect of the
seven witnesses they listed, suddenly we were confronted with subpoena for four
witnesses for Thursday, before then they had applied for leave to call
additional witnesses which the tribunal refused, we have raised objection to
the four new witnesses they are proposing to call.
“Even
the witness statements have not been served on us, so the issue is whether the
witness summons was appropriate in the circumstance that is what we have raised
for consideration”.
Izyion
expressed readiness to move the motion immediately seeking details of the
witnesses adding that “ we are ready to go on with the substantive trial once
the information we are seeking about witness summons are made ready to us, let
us open the box and see what is in it”.
It
was at this point that Mr. Okpokor (SAN) sought leave of the tribunal for
extension of time to enable him respond to the motions as filed by INEC and PDP
counsels.
After
listinning to the arguments of all the counsels, Justice Gunmi adjourned to 20
August 2015 for the hearing of the motion from the respondents
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