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The Motion Alliance (AA) in Abia has requested the Nationwide Meeting Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia to annul the election of the Home of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The get together hinged its demand on the alleged exclusion of its title and emblem from the poll for the 25 February ballot.
Mohammed Ndalahi, the counsel for the get together’s candidate, Ifeanyi Igbokwe, made the request in the course of the tribunal’s sitting on Saturday.
Talking underneath cross-examination by Mr Ndalahi, the deputy speaker, Mr Kalu and APC witness Cyril Kwubiri, alleged that Mr Igbokwe was not validly nominated by AA, therefore didn’t take part within the election.
Mr Kwubiri, nonetheless, admitted that not one of the paperwork he tendered in courtroom to assist his declare that Mr Igbokwe was not validly nominated emanated from APC.
The three-member panel, led by Justice Samson Gang, adjourned sitting to 14 August for the adoption of the ultimate written addresses by all of the events.
Additionally, talking underneath cross-examination in one other swimsuit difficult his eligibility to take part within the election, Mr Kalu denied forging his credentials opposite to the allegation by the Labour Get together candidate, Frank Chinasa.
Mr Chinasa had alleged in his petition that the credentials introduced to INEC by Mr Kalu had deadly discrepancies.
He, due to this fact, urged the tribunal to nullify his election, arguing that he was unfit to take part within the ballot.
The Information Company of Nigeria (NAN) reviews that the tribunal on Thursday, admitted in proof, 9 totally different paperwork tendered by Mr Chinasa to assist his petition that Mr Kalu’s credentials had been fraught with discrepancies in names.
The petitioners had argued that Type EC9, submitted to INEC by Mr Kalu, bore ‘Osisiogu Benjamin Okezie’.
They additional posited that different paperwork, together with his delivery certificates, first diploma certificates, NYSC Certificates and WASC bore ‘Kalu Benjamin Okezie’, and ‘Benjamin Okezie Osisiogu’, respectively.
In his defence, Mr Kalu tendered seven paperwork, together with the judgment of an Abia Excessive Courtroom, confirming his change of title.
He additionally tendered Licensed True Copies (CTCs) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria official gazette quantity 49, quantity 107 of twenty sixth March 2020; a letter from the Supreme Courtroom; newspaper publication and a Deed Pool – all confirming harmonisation of his title.
He faulted the CTCs of the petitioners’ reveals alleging discrepancies in his paperwork, saying they didn’t bear stamps from the issuing establishments.
The counsel for APC, Vigilus Nwankwo, additionally informed the tribunal to reject the stated CTCs since they lacked the INEC stamp.
In the identical vein, the INEC counsel, Ogochukwu Onyekwuluke, disowned the paperwork, mentioning that the petitioners’ CTCs didn’t bear the fee’s stamp.
All seven paperwork had been admitted by the tribunal as reveals, despite an objection by Mr Chinasa’s Counsel, Yunus Usman.
Mr Usman stated they’d incorporate the explanations for his or her injection into the admissibility of the paperwork of their remaining written addresses.
The matter was adjourned to 14 August for the adoption of the ultimate written addresses by all events.
(NAN)
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