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| Wike and Peterside |
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers
state on Friday asked the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to
dismiss Dr. Dakuku Peterside’s petition for not complying with the rules of the
law.
Counsel
to the governor, Mr Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), made the application at the sitting
of the tribunal in Abuja.
Ukala
told the tribunal that the petitioner did not pay the N100 fee before
commencement of the pre-hearing.
“We seek
to rely on our further affidavit and motion before the tribunal, failure of the
petitioner to properly comply with the Electoral Act, the petition is futile.
“We urge
this tribunal to adopt the submission of its earlier rulings on Aug. 3 and
dismiss this petition,’’ Ukala pleaded.
Counsel
to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr K.C.O Njemeze (SAN)
and counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr F. O. Orbih (SAN), agreed
with Ukala’s submission.
According
to the duo, the tribunal should dismiss Peterside`s petition and treat it as
abandoned petition “in the eye of the law”.
Counsel
to Peterside, Mr.Akin Olujimi, countered the applications, saying that there
was no provision in the law that stated that one should pay money before
pre-hearing.
According
to him, the application by the counsel and that of the INEC and PDP lack merit.
“There is
nowhere it is prescribed in the electoral act that we should pay any fee before
our matter can be heard.
“But so,
if there is, the N100 should be deducted from the initial N400,000 we paid
before the commencement of the tribunal sitting,’’ Olujimi said.
He urged
the tribunal to dismiss Wike’s application and move ahead.
Meanwhile,
the tribunal Chairman, Justice Muazu Pindiga, adjourned sitting to Aug. 17, to
rule on the application.
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