Court to hear suit challenging Kola Abiola’s nomination as PRP candidate November 8

Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, fixed November 8 for the hearing of a suit challenging the nomination of Kola Abiola as the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election.

The judge fixed the date after a consensus agreement by counsel for the parties in the suit.

A PRP presidential aspirant, Madam Patience Ndidi Key, had prayed the court to nullify the June 5 election that produced Abiola as the party’s presidential candidate.

In an originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1001/2022, Key also asked the court to set aside the declaration of the businessman as the winner of the party’s primaries conducted across the country.

PRP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Abiola were listed as respondents in the suit.

When the matter was called on Tuesday, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Chief Magnus Ihejirika, told the court that the matter was scheduled for further mention.

Ihejirika said he had just been briefed by the plaintiff to take over the matter from the former counsel.

“Consequently, we have filed our notice of change of counsel as required,” he said

The counsel told the court that INEC and Abiola were yet to file any response on the matter.

READ ALSO: Nigeria in need of party with zero legacy —Kola Abiola

Ihejirika said he was informed by Abiola’s counsel on Tuesday that the PRP candidate was served with court processes last Friday.

He, therefore, applied for an adjournment to enable parties to put their house in order.

“Subject to the convenience of the court, we have agreed on November 7 for the hearing,” he added.

The PRP counsel, Regina Audu, told the court she was yet to be served with the notice of change of counsel by the plaintiff.

“But since it is a pre-election matter and time is of essence, we will not be challenging this since a copy is already in court file,” she said.

Ijeoma Madu, who appeared for Abiola, told the court that her client had not been properly served with the originating process.

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