…APC,PDP thugs besieged venue, displayed superiority

By Eben Enasco Kingsley, Benin City

The Edo State Election Petition Tribunal yesterday adjourned pre-hearing proceedings of applications filed by the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, governorship candidate for the 28th September poll, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu challenging the victory of Godwin Obaseki, the All Progressives Congress candidate for December 7th

Soon after taking the pleas of both counsels to the parties, the tribunal Chairman, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, hinted that the tribunal was not aware that (Thursday) yesterday was the set date for pre-hearing.

Lead Counsel to the PDP candidate, Mr. Adebayo Adelodun, SAN, who led a team of 59 other lawyers, said they were set to commence the pre-hearing.

But the Counsel to APC Candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki, Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN who equally led a team of 36 lawyers, opposed the pre-hearing on grounds that he had a motion on notice which the tribunal should hear.

He therefore, urged the tribunal to hear the application before the pre-hearing session adding, that hearing of all applications and motions ought to have been concluded before proceedings on pre-hearing session commenced.

Counsel to APC, Mr. Ken Mozia, SAN equally posited he had pending motion before the tribunal urging the tribunal to terminating the petition including the one prevailing on the tribunal to strike out some paragraph of the petitioner’s replies to his clients petition

But counsel to the PDP, who argued that the tribunal was already in the pre-hearing session, said, counsels should have filed all applications before the session while the tribunal would be left with the discretion to take all applications even while the pre-hearing session was on.

He said, the APC Counsels applications in question were only filed yesterday morning when the pre-hearing had been scheduled.

Also, Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr. Onyebuchi Ikpeazu, SAN, told the tribunal that INEC was not aware that yesterday was the set date for pre-hearing, adding that they were in court not for the pre-hearing.

Consequently, the tribunal Chairman thereafter ruled that all parties should file necessary applications; reply to the ones already served on them and come back on the 7th December 2015 so that the tribunal can take all the applications.

Meanwhile, both party supporters who were eager to know the outcome of the pre-hearing throng in their numbers the premises of the tribunal to drum support for their principals which almost turned out to be uncontrollable but for the intervention of the state security agencies who were on the ground to quell the already rising tension.

However, the Governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Prince Ukonga was molested and harassed as he scampers for safety to avoid being lynched by the irate thugs.