Tribunal Frustrating Our Appeal, PDP Laments

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Benin City, the Edo State capital, is frustrating its right of appeal in the judgment delivered in the petition filed by Hon Omosede Igbinedion against the election of Hon Dennis Idahosa.

Naija News reports that the PDP made this accusation in a statement signed by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Chris Nehikhare.

The statement is coming after the three-man panel had in a judgment, dismissed Omosede’s petition for lack of merit.

Apparently displeased with the ruling, the PDP said it was curious to lovers of democracy about what it termed unwarranted delay in the release of the Certified True Copy of the Enrolled Order of Judgement

The statement said the Omosede petition was the first the tribunal read and delivered its judgment on 10 days ago.

According to the statement, “It is a known fact that parties are allowed by law to go on appeal within 21 days of judgment.

“But our right of appeal is being frustrated by the deliberate delay to avail us with copies of the judgment to enable us file our appeal within time. We are informed that APC leaders have boasted that by the time we get certified copies of the judgment, our lawyers will not have time to file judgment appeal. They have admitted in certain quarters that they may lose at appeal even though they know that the tribunal tried in its 5-hour long judgment to justify its position.

“Edo PDP calls on the tribunal to immediately do the needful as it is common knowledge that copies of judgment passed several days after the Omosede Igbinedion petition have been made available to the parties involved.

“The tribunal will be doing itself a great disservice if they allow APC to create the impression that in this particular case, they are taking instructions from “outside”.”

However, Barr. Ansell Ojezua, the State Chairman of the Edo All Progressives Congress (APC), denied allegations of party leaders having fears of losing at the appeal.

The Edo APC Chairman said the APC has more judgment to file an appeal against more than the PDP.

Barr. Ojezua urged the PDP to know where to direct their complaints against.

“When did the APC become a member of the judiciary? We are also affected by the delay.”