Ondo: Tribunal fixes Thursday for pre-hearing of NNPP, PDP petitions

As the State and National Assembly election petition tribunal, on Tuesday commenced sitting in Akure, Ondo state capital, the Tribunal has fixed May, Thursday for the pre-hearing of the petition seeking the nullification of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Pastor Jide Ipinsagba, as Senator-elect for the Ondo North Senatorial District of the state.

Challenging the victory of Ipinsagba at the Tribunal, the candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Dr Olusegun Phillips-Alonge, prayed the tribunal to nullify the election following the omission of the party’s logo from the ballot papers sent to the state during the last National Assembly election in the state.

The NNPP while speaking through its Chairman, Pastor Peter Olagookun and the Secretary, Comrade Adekunle Oluwayomi, denied withdrawing the party from the case saying “It is not true that NNPP has withdrawn the case from the tribunal.

They said the party only appointed another counsel, Segun Ogodo of Segun Ogodo & Co, to act as the new counsel in respect of the matter.

The Secretary to the Tribunal, Musa Adam, however, said that all applications in respect of the matters will be attended to before the hearing, saying that “all parties, shall not, later than seven days before the first pre-hearing session filed and serve on all parties.”

The party (NNPP) is, therefore, urged the tribunal to nullify the entire election and order a fresh one to enable their candidates to be accommodated over its missing logo from the ballot paper during the election.

The party in the petition, “We are seeking an order directing the 3RD Respondent (INEC) to conduct, within Ninety days of the Judgment of this Tribunal, a new election to the office of the Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District to include the 1st Petitioner NNPP, its candidate the second petitioner.

“A declaration that the petitioners were unlawfully excluded from the election conducted into Ondo North senatorial district, the seat of the senate of the National Assembly held on the 25th day of February 2023.

“An order declaring the election to the seat of the Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District held on the 25th day of February 2023 as null and void.

“An order nullifying the election into the seat of the Senate of National assembly for Ondo North senatorial District, of Ondo state held on the 25th day of February 2023 and the return of the 3rd respondent made therefrom,” it added

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