Plateau Election Tribunal: National, State Assembly Tribunal fixed 20th May for Pre-Hearing

In the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal holden in Jos on a suit filed by Hon Danjuma Haruna & an or. challenging the victory of Engr Solomon Maren & two others for Bokkos/Mangu Federal House of Representative and the Former Secretary to the state government, Hon Rufus Bature Daniel challenging Hon Gyang Istisfanus Dung & two others.

Barr Zulfa Rimven, the petitioner counsel to Rufus Bature Daniel on Thursday sitting urged the tribunal to adopt answers to questions filed on the 2nd May, 2019 seeking for extension of time to enable him regularise some application’s filed.

He asked the tribunal to give him five days within which to enable him complete some of his application’s which the tribunal granted.

Barr. Harrison Uguala the counsel to the first respondent told the tribunal at pre-hearing that based on the application filed by APC defeated candidate, he has replied on the 3rd May, 2019.

He drew the attention of the 3 man tribunal to adopt his pre-hearing answers to questions filed by petitioner counsel urged the tribunal to set aside the victory of his client.

Barr Sunny Odey, counsel to the 2nd respondent in his reply dated 4th May, 2019 and filed same date was adopted, asking for 4 days to complete.

The 3rd respondent, Emmanuel Akhayere also filed his response to the petitioner questions and answers on 6th May, 2019 and adopted it for further argument .

Odey also applied for striking out a joined application dated on the 5th April, 2019 and filed on 8th April, 2019 which is bringing 1&2 respondents was granted .

The petition number EPT/PL/NA/01/2019 were the petitioner, Hon Danjuma Haruna and the All Progressive Congress, APC sued the tribunal to quash the election of current serving Member, Hon Solomon Maren for his claim of irregularities .

Also in the Plateau Northern senatorial seat, the APC defeated candidate Hon Rufus Bature Daniel challenged the victory of ID Gyang of the People Democratic Party, PDP, .

Counsel to Mangu, Bokkos Federal House of Representative, Barr. M Y Dalung (petitioner) told the tribunal that the matter was slated today for adoption of pre-hearing answers to questions filed on 2nd May, 2019 and filed same day has been adopted .

Dalung added that he had four applications on his paragraph 14 indicated that the referral , the first motion on notice was praying for the court to strike out some paragraphs of the various replies to be listed in the motion .

Second, motion on notice to disqualification of the respondent listed in the motion and also issue out subpoena.

The petitioner counsel urged the tribunal to give him five days within which to effect some processes.

Responding, the counsel to the 1st and 2nd respondents, Barr Sunny Odey said to response to the petitioner he has filed his own reply dated 4th May, 2019 and filed same date was also adopted as answers to questions filed on his client

Meanwhile, the 3rd respondence INEC was represented by a counsel, Barr. Nathaniel Umide who said he filing was on the 6th May,2019 and he also adopted answers to questions filed by petitioners .

According to him, INEC can’t file any response to the petitioner but further more seek the tribunal for five days to enable him regularise some application’s filed .

The Tribunal Chairman, TN Ezeogwu has adjourned the matter to the 20th of May 2019 for pre-hearing to continue .