LAGOS STATE ELECTION TRIBUNAL SET TO HEAR PDP'S APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION ON JULY 6

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal is set to hear an application by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate, Dr Abdulazeez Adediran (known as Jandor), for extension of time to bring more witnesses on Thursday.

On Tuesday, the three-member tribunal headed by Justice Arum Ashom ordered Adediran’s counsel, Mr Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), to serve processes to respondents.

The respondents in the matter is Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), LP Governorship Candidate in the Lagos state, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour; and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Ashom has also directed that the respondents should make their responses between Tuesday and Wednesday.

“The hearing of the application for the extension of time is hereby adjourned until July 6,” Ashom said.

The application dated July 2 was filed on July 4.

In the application, Adediran prayed the tribunal to grant him more time to bring more witnesses in the interest of justice and fair hearing.

However, counsel to INEC, Mr Adetunji Oyeyipo (SAN), urged the tribunal to close Adediran’s case.

Oyeyipo said that he did not see any reason for the extension, adding that the application lacked merit.

“Granting them another day means that the tribunal will grant us some days more to respond, and the tribunal does not have the luxury of time.

“We urge the court to close the case of the petitioner today,” he said.

Mr Benjamin Nwosu, counsel to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, also asked the Adediran’s case should be closed.

“What the petitioner is seeking to do is unknown to electoral practice and the law is right that proceedings in election tribunals are strictly time-bound.

Counsel to APC, Mr Noris Quakers (SAN), said: “The rule says that the petitioner shall have three days to prove his case and shall not go beyond four days.”

Mr Folagbade Benson, counsel to Rhodes-Vivour, however, said he would leave the decision at the discretion of the court.

Counsel to LP, Mr Idowu Benson, also left the decision at the discretion of the court.