The petitions tribunal overseeing the last Ebonyi State governorship election, in Abuja, on Wednesday, commenced hearing on the petition brought before it by Prof. Benard Odoh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance against the newly sworn-in Governor Francis Nwifuru.
Nwifuru was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the March 2023 governorship election.
Opposition candidate, Odoh, in his petition before the tribunal, questioned the nomination of Governor Nwifuru as the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress in the last elections.
Odoh narrated that, at the time of the governor’s nomination, Nwifuru was still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, the platform that gave him the position of Speaker for eight years.
When the pre-hearing came up at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, counsel to the petitioner, Mr. J.S. Okutekpa (SAN), sought time to enable all parties in the matter to compare notes on the issues to be presented and determined during the proper hearing of the petition.
He stated,
“The application for the issuance of hearing notice was just served on me at about 9.41 am this morning.
“The parties involved should be given time to study the pre-hearing notice and other applications. Other applications should be served this morning too.”
“Under the rules of this court, a date of pre-hearing should be given to follow formalities. So that we won’t be running to Magu Vs Sule for interpretations,” Okutekpa averred.
On their part, counsels to the APC, Mr Abdul Ibrahim (SAN), Governor Nwifuru, Barr. Roy Nweze, and INEC, Barr. Nnamdi did not object to it; even as they agreed they were ready for the pre-hearing.