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Tribunal refuses to strike out suit challenging Ekweremadu’s re-election

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‘Charges that destroy our democracy’, Ekweremadu reacts to FG’s suit against him

The National and State Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Enugu State on Monday refused to strike out a suit challenging the re-election of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The petitioner, Mrs Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is challenging the results of the Feb. 9 senatorial election in Enugu West that returned Ekweremadu, as winner.

Counsel to PDP, Mr A. I. Ani, SAN, had prayed the tribunal to strike out certain paragraphs of the petition which it considered“ incongruous to the provisions of Nigerian Constitution on fair hearing”.

Mr Tochukwu Maduka, who held the brief for Ani, argued that the paragraphs sought to be struck out raised criminal allegations against persons not listed as respondents.

He argued that the reliefs sought in the application did not question the jurisdiction of the tribunal in entertaining the matter but to strike out offensive paragraphs.

“These are not issues the tribunal can wait for as they raise allegations against persons who have not been made parties to the petition as well as the competence of some of the grounds of the petition,” he said.

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However, counsel to the petitioners, Mr K. P. Luke described the application as incompetent, treacherous and irritating.

Luke said that the tribunal had the requisite jurisdiction to hear all the paragraphs of their petition.

“These paragraphs they refer to touch on the competence of our petition. At this stage, the tribunal cannot determine or strike out any paragraph.

“It is the law that border on competence is determined on judgment day,” he said.

In a ruling, tribunal Chairman, Justice Haruna Kereng after listening to arguments by counsel in the matter, fixed June 10 for commencement of hearing.

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