The election petition tribunal sitting in Lokoja
on Saturday fixed September 8 for the hearing of a petition filed by
Sen. Smart Adeyemi against the election of Sen. Dino Melaye .
The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Akon Ikpeme
fixed the date while closing pre-hearing in the petition challenging the
election of Melaye as the senator representing Kogi West senatorial
district.
Before closing the pre-hearing session, the
tribunal also granted Adeyemi’ s prayers to call additional witnesses
and admitted the report of the recounted ballot papers in 21 polling
units.
The petitioner’s prayer for determination of the
primary election of the 1st and 2nd respondents was also granted by the
tribunal.
In addition, the tribunal also granted the request
of the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw its
amended motion of reply to the petition filed by Adeyemi on April 3.
The INEC ‘s oral application to strike out some paragraphs in its motion was similarly granted by the tribunal.
However, in fixing the date for the hearing of
petition proper, Ikpem ruled that Adeyemi , INEC and Melaye would only
be allowed two days to open and close their cases.
She
also ruled that 30 minutes would be given for cross-examination of
witnesses; 10 minutes for cross-examination of other counsel’s witnesses
while all documents must be filled before Sept. 7 and shown to other
counsels involved.
However, the 2nd respondent (APC), was granted 20
minutes for cross-examination, 30 minutes for examination of expert
witnesses and 10 minutes for cross-examination of other counsel’s
witnesses.
Adeyemi is challenging the election of March 28,
which brought Melaye as the senator representing the Kogi West
senatorial district on grounds of irregularities in the results of the
election.
He is also asking the tribunal to disqualify Melaye for being improperly nominated as a candidate for the election by the APC.
In addition, Adeyemi wants the tribunal to declare him the winner or order fresh elections in the disputed polling.
In addition, Adeyemi wants the tribunal to declare him the winner or order fresh elections in the disputed polling.
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