THE Edo State governorship election petition tribunal has adjourned its sitting to Thursday, December 15, 2016, for the determination of pre-hearing motions in the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu, and his party against the declaration of Mr Godwin Obaseki by INEC as the winner of the September 28, 2016, election in the state.
In a similar vein, the tribunal fixed the same day to decide on the agreements and disagreements between counsels to both parties on nine points, which border on the modus operandi that will be adopted by the trial.
Tribunal had heard from the counsel to the APC, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, how all counsels to both parties in the trial met and agreed on some points even as he disclosed that the parties disagreed on some grounds.
The tribunal also directed the petitioners and respondents to adopt their pre-hearing forms to enable it give a comprehensive ruling on the adjourned date even as it directed the third respondent, which is the APC, up to Wednesday, December 14, 2016, to file reply to the motion by the petitioners to vary its order of inspection of electoral material.
The tribunal had earlier given two hours to senior counsel to the petitioners and respondents to meet , resolve and give issues for determination and the exhibits, the number of witnesses and streamlined it as this would go a long way in making its works easier.
The order of the tribunal was sequel to the application by counsel to the petitioners, Mr Emmanuel Okala (SAN), seeking to withdraw its motion, which was to vary the tribunal’s order of inspection.
However, counsel to the respondents, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) for INEC, Prince Tunji Oyeyipo (SAN) for Obaseki and Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) for APC, urged the tribunal to give its directive on the application, saying that they were in the court for the pre-hearing and were ready for it.
Addressing the tribunal at the end of their meeting, Mr.Fagbemi who spoke for counsel to the respondents, said the parties agreed that each party should draft issues for determination and submit same to the tribunal for streamlining.
He further disclosed that the parties agreed that uncontested or duly certified documents could be tendered by each party at the commencement of the case, adding that such documents should be accompanied by a schedule.
He stated that however, there was disagreement as to whether such documents should be taken as read or what happened to contested documents.
Mr Fagbemi said parties agreed that rulings should be deferred to end of trial, but objections can be taken just as he added that the tribunal should provide interpreters.
The parties however disagreed on calling of witnesses, whether it should be limited to a number or allocated time just as the parties failed to agree on the time for cross examination of witnesses, he said, adding that while the petitioners agreed for 10 minutes, the respondents wants 20 minutes.
Counsel to the petitioners, Mr Okala however, told the tribunal that the parties disagreed on one issue, which is the making of exhibit, saying that,”we agreed that parties will nominate counsel who will work with the secretary to the tribunal so that we don’t spend time in the court room marking exhibits.”
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