The Governorship, State and National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Sokoto State on Wednesday, dismissed a motion filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, seeking to strike out a suit filed by the APC, for late filing of pre-hearing processes.
The APC candidate in the 2019 election for Isa/Sabon-Birni Federal Constituency, Alhaji Sani Aminu-Isa, approached the Tribunal challenging the return of member-elect, Alhaji Sa’idu Bargaja of the PDP, over alleged election malpractices.
Bargaja through his Counsel, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, in a motion, prayed the tribunal to dismiss the entire petition on grounds that the petitioner and his party contravened major conditions of seven days filing of pre-hearing notices, NAN reports.
The petitioner, Aminu-Isa and his party through their Counsel, Mr Steve Nwoke, opposed the application and argued that the notice was filed within the stipulated time, while payment was made in compliance with the tribunal’s directive.
In his ruling on Wednesday, Tribunal Chairman, Justice Peter Akhihiero, said he considered all the arguments and citations by the Counsels on the late issuance of pre-hearing notices in the suit.
Akhihiero said it is evident that the tribunal’s Secretary confirmed that the petitioners made the application for issuance of pre-hearing notices within the stipulated time.
Justice Akhihiero, thereby, dismissed the motion against the respondents and awarded N20, 000 as cost.
He adjourned the case until May 10 for continuation of pre-hearing session.
