Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, yesterday, refused an application for interrogatory filed by the Labour Party (LP) against Governor Peter Mbah.

LP’s governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, filed the application seeking to interrogate Mbah, the second defendant in the petition before the tribunal.

While delivering its ruling yesterday, the three-man panel led by Justice K. M. Akano rejected Edeoga’s application.

The tribunal held that the particulars the LP is seeking could be obtained during cross-examination or through the petitioners during evidence.

It could be recalled that the tribunal in its pre-hearing report gave the petitioners seven days to prove its case, while the first respondent, INEC, has two days to call in witnesses. The second and third respondents were given four days each.

Addressing journalists after the tribunal’s session, one of the lead counsels to the LP, Ifeanyi Ogenyi, said the party was ready to present its witnesses.

“The ruling was in respect of application for interrogatories brought by the petitioners, seeking for some answers from the second respondent, Peter Mbah, that he should answer some questions regarding when he was appointed as Chief of Staff, appointed Commissioner for Finance in Enugu State, when he was called to the bar and the institutions he attended, based on his replies to the petition.

“But the court in its considered ruling this morning (yesterday) stated that those questions can be elicited during cross examination or through the petitioner during evidence; therefore, the application for interrogatory was refused by the court.”

“Then, the report of the tribunal on the pre-hearing session was delivered today, which has brought the pre-hearing session to a close. In their report, they outlined issues the parties raised, both the petitioners and the respondents,” Ogenyi said.