TRIBUNAL UPHOLDS MARK'S ELECTION
THE
National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, the Benue
State capital, on Thursday dismissed the petition brought before it by the
Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Daniel Onjeh.
Onjeh
had, on March 13, 2016, filed a petition against the former Senate President,
Senator David Mark, challenging the victory of the former senate president.
The
presiding Judge, Justice Gloria Anulude, in her ruling, said that the petition
was filed in one day out of no time.
She
disclosed that all other motions and applications filed on March 13 were,
‘thereby, struck out.
Justice
Anulude further ruled that the petitioner while filing his petition,
substantially refused to state the day of declaration of result.
“This
tribunal is bound by the decision of the Supreme Court being the highest court
of the land.
“By
Arithmetical calculation, the day of declaration is inclusive in computing the
mandatory 21 days of filing an election case. Therefore, the tribunal had no
jurisdiction to entertain the petition, and as such, the petition is hereby
struck out,” she stated.
Onjeh
had filed the petition challenging the victory of Mark, who he said, was
wrongly declared as the winner of the election in the February21, 2016 Benue
South senatorial rerun election.
Counsel
for the petitioner, Mr. Adetunji Oso, did not agree with the ruling, adding
that there was an opportunity at the higher court. He said emphatically
that his client would surely appeal the ruling.
The
media aide to the former Senate President, Chief Adakole Elijah, said that the
position taken by the tribunal was sound and noble because it was a validation
of free mandate given to the senator.
He
recalled that people of Benue South senatorial district unanimously voted Mark
in, which the appeal court overruled, thus prompting the rerun. He said
the people of the senatorial district also re-validated their support for
Senator Mark, which he said the tribunal had judiciously ruled on, saying that,
‘The court is the last hope of the common people.’
In a
teleconference from Abuja, the defeated APC candidate, Daniel Onjeh said he
totally dissatisfied with the ruling of the tribunal and had already instructed
his team of lawyers to immediately commence the process of filing appeal at the
appeal court.
TRIBUNAL UPHOLDS MARK'S ELECTION
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Thursday, June 30, 2016
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