INEC Challenges Tribunal’s Jurisdiction In Anambra

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC ) has filed an application contesting the jurisdiction of the Anambra Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in the case  filed by UNPP against the election of Governor Peter Obi in February.    

The Tide’s source reports that the Tribunal on Monday in Awka had prepared to rule on the UNPP petition but announced the new application by INEC.   INEC’s Counsel, Mr Johnson Nnodum (SAN), said the application was challenging the Tribunal on the ground of  non-service of the petition to some parties in the matter.  

Responding, Counsel to the UNPP, Mr Max Njokwu, said he was served the application in the morning and urged the tribunal to grant him time to react adequately.   The Justice Pius Damulak- led Tribunal, however, adjourned till Wednesday for hearing in the application and other applications by the parties.  

 Damulak, however, cautioned counsel not to delay the judicial process by their style of serving applications on parties on the day they intended to file them at the tribunal.  

“To us, it appears that we are delaying the matters unduly, we are all officers in the temple of justice who must ensure justice at all times,” Damulak said.  

Meanwhile, the tribunal over-ruled the objection by Obi’s counsel, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), and Nnodum that the two written statements on oath and the evidence attached, and filed by HDP were not admissible as evidence in the tribunal.  

Ikpeazu and Nnodum had argued that the depositions and the reply of Okoye to their (APGA and INEC’s) reply to the petition were simply re-statement of the petition and the oath in support of the petition.

  Ikpeazu argued that the petitioner could not also tender photocopies of what “he purports to be certified true copy of the result sheets”.  

He argued that the petitioner, Mr Mike Okoye, did not obtain the certified true copy for the trial and urged the tribunal to reject the document.  

INEC’s counsel also urged the tribunal to reject the evidence.

  The tribunal, however, adjourned till Tuesday to rule on the admissibility of photocopies of result sheets which HDP had sought to tender as evidence at the hearing.