Edo2020: Tribunal Grants Petitioners’ Motion For Substituted Means Of Service
By Victor Ofure Osehobo, Benin
The tribunal for the Edo State governorship elections on Friday granted the petitioners’ applicant ex-parte motion for substituted means of service against their respective respondents.
At the tribunal’s inaugural sitting in Benin City, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Abdulrazaq Abdulkareem, presiding also adjourned sitting to Monday, December 7, for pre-hearing process.
The sitting was inaugural and on petitions filed by 5 political parties contending the outcome of the September 19 governorship election, which was won by the PDP candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The political parties seeking to nullify the victory of Godwin Obaseki are Action Democratic Party (ADP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Before granting their orders, Justice Abdulrazaq Abdulkareem said the tribunal is committed to completing the five petitions before it within the stipulated time frame.
He said, “We wish to assure you that in our quest to get to the truth of these matters, we shall act in good faith and shall do our work without any form of bias or appearance of any preconception”.
He also solicited the co-operation of all parties and counsels, assuring that the tribunal would perform its duties without prejudice to any party.
He said, “We wish to assure you that in our quest to get to the truth of the matters before us; we shall act in good faith, and shall do our work with open mind, without any form of bias or appearance of any preconception. We also pledge not to lend ourselves to any form of external influence”
Ken Mozia (SAN) who spoke for the counsels assured the tribunal of their cooperation, promising that they would do their best to file their applications within the specified time frames.
