Presidential election tribunal adjourns sitting till May 23

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18 May 2011

Presidential election tribunal adjourns sitting till May 23

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal yesterday commenced its inaugural sitting with the Court of Appeal President, Ayo Salami, presiding. At yesterday’s sitting, the petitioner, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), withdrew its earlier application to inspect electoral documents. The five-member panel consequently struck out the application while the CPC filed a new application. Other members of the panel are M.L. Garba, M.A. Owoade, I.I. Agbube and Obande Ogbuinya.

The petitioner’s counsel, James Ocholi, informed the tribunal that it would like to file a new application. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, did not object to CPC’s request to withdraw its earlier application just as the counsel to President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo, Wole Olanipekun. Joe Kyari Gadzama, the PDP’s counsel, concurred with the request too. Mr Salami later adjourned till May 23 to hear the fresh application filed. He further ordered that all respondents should be put on notice and that service should henceforth be through counsel to counsel to avoid cases of delayed services.