By Victor Ofure Osehobo
Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Abdulrazaq Abdulkareem will on Friday, December 11, give its ruling on whether the Action Alliance (AA) has abandoned its case or not
The PDP as respondent in the petition by AA in the Edo State governorship election petition tribunal have argued that since AA failed to file application for pre-hearing notice, it has abandoned the petition.
AA is one 5 political parties challenging the outcome of the September 19 2020 Edo State governorship election that brought in governor Godwin Obaseki.
At the pre-hearing session on Tuesday, Counsel to PDP, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, said the petitioner has abandoned it petition for failing to file for pre-hearing notice in line with the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
He said “The tribunal has no jurisdiction to entertain the petition and we urge the tribunal to dismiss the application. We didn’t receive the petitioner’s reply to activate the pre-hearing by applying for the issuance of the pre-hearing forms”, he said.But counsel to AA, Stephen Osaigbovo objected to the position of PDP saying the petitioner has not abandoned its case and rationalized his submission.
