Court reserves ruling on dissolution of new panel

Sitting continues today

The newly constituted panel of the Court of Appeal to hear the petitions relating to the state’s chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday reserved its ruling.

This followed the request by counsel to the factional candidate in the election, Jimoh Ibrahim that the panel be dissolved.The matter had previously been heard by a panel headed by Justice Jummai Sankey, which disqualified itself amid allegations of bribery.

The new three-man panel, headed by Justice Ibrahim Salauwa, which was set up last week, held its first sitting on the matter last Friday.

It adjourned hearings to yesterday, after identifying all the processes filed by the parties in the matter.The lead counsel to Biyi Poroye, B.E.I. Ngwufor of the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction, at the last sitting, drew the court’s attention to a motion challenging the composition of a special panel.

When the matter was brought before the court yesterday, Ngwufor, who relied on all 11 grounds in the 14-paragraph affidavit, said there was no reason for a special panel to address the matter that is pending at an Abuja division of the Appeal Court.

He urged the court to grant his application and return the case files to the president of the appeal court, to allow the case to follow due process.

Ngwufor asked the court to determine his motion before that of Eyitayo Jegede, who was represented by Wole Olanikpekun, since it was challenging the jurisdiction of the court.

Olanipekun urged the court to set aside Nwofor’s motion, describing it as a deliberate attempt to delay the proceedings. The panel however, proceeded with its hearing and heard the substantive appeals.The court reserved its ruling after hearing all the arguments by counsel. The matter would continue today.