By Nurudeen Alimi
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and its Ogun state gubernatorial candidate in 2023 general elections, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo have moved a step to prosecute their petition at the Appeal Court, Ibadan.
This action was backed up by hiring the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chijioke Emeka of Auxano law firm as lead counsel.
This was made known in a letter of engagement addressed to Chijioke O.P Emeka by the law firm of Izunya Izunya to join the appeal legal team as a led counsel in a petition against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Dapo Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over omission of the party name on the ballot paper used in conducting March 18th governorship election in Ogun state.
According to the letter dated 16th June, 2023: “We are a firm of legal practitioners acting as counsel for New Nigeria Peoples Party (hereinafter referred to as our client and on whose behalf we write.
“We on behalf of our client, engage your law firm sir, to prosecute our client’s appeal pending at the court of appeal, Ibadan between the New Nigeria Peoples Party Vs Independent National Electoral Commission & 2 Ors with appeal No CA/IB/EPT/OG/GOV/01/2023.
“Our authority of engaging your law firm is derived from the letter briefing us to defend our client’s Governorship Election petition, wherein we were authorised to liaise with any counsel we deem worthy to work with, Attached herein is a copy of the said letter written and signed by the National Legal Adviser of our client”.
Recall that Isaac Dale Izunya of Izunya Izunya law firm was authorised by the National leadership of the NNPP through a letter signed by the Party’s National legal adviser, Robert Hon briefing him to liase with any counsel he deemed worthy to work with, to defend the NNPP at the Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.