Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday adjourned five separate petitions challenging the conduct of November 11, 2023 governorship election in the state that produced Gov Douye Diri to February 2, 2024 for pre – hearing.
Seven petitioners : Kalango Stanley of African Action Congress, AAC, Eng. Udengomobofa Eradiri of Labour Party ,LP, Action Peoples Party,APP, Sylva Timipre Marlin, African Democratic Congress, ADC, Social Democratic Party, SDP and Micah Akeems of National Rescue Movement, NRM had in separate petitions challenged the conduct of the election.
At the pre – hearing on Wednesday counsel to Kalango Stanley of African Action Congress AAC, Mr. O.A. Mathew informed the three member tribunal headed by Justice A.A. Adeleye that he filed answers to the questions contained in pre- hearing information sheet and served the respondents .He adopted the processes filed.
Mathew also told the tribunal that he was served with the respondents replies and two preliminary objections. He said ,he needed 7 days to respond.
The 1st respondent – Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s counsel Charles Edosonwan, SAN, identified the answer he filed in response to questions in information sheet and adopted same.
Counsel to 2nd respondent – People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN; Chief Chris Uche SAN counsel to 3rd respondent – Gov Douye Diri; Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume SAN, counsel to 4th respondent – Senator Lawrence Oborawhariewo all adopted their answers to the questions on information sheets.
In his ruling, chairman of the tribunal Justice Adeleye gave the petitioner 7 days to file his response and the respondents three days to reply. He adjourned further hearing till February 2.
Similarly procedure were followed on the petition filed by former Minister for Petroleum Resources Sylva Timipre against INEC , Gov. Douye Diri, Lawrence Oborawhariewo and People’s Democratic Party. The petition has been adjourned to February 2.
Equally, petitions filed by Action Peoples Party, APP, African Democratic Congress and Micah Akeems were all adjourned to February 2, after the lawyers in the matter adopted their answers in the information sheet before the tribunal for hearing.