The Labour Party and her governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga suffered a loss on Saturday as the tribunal rejected their application to force Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah to appear before the court for interrogation.
LP’s Barr Chijioke Edeoga filed the application seeking to interrogate Mbah, the 2nd second defendant in the petition he filed before the Tribunal.
The application was made on June 22nd when the matter was last tried before it was adjourned to June 24 for ruling.
While delivering its ruling today, Saturday, 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 either during cross examination or through the petitioners during evidence.
In the pre-hearing report, the Tribunal gave the petitioners 7 days to prove their case, while the 1st respondent, INEC, has 2 days to call their witnesses. The 2nd and 3rd respondents were given 4 days each.
Addressing journalists after the Tribunal’s session, one of the lead counsels to the LP, Barr Ifeanyi Ogenyi said the party is ready to present its witnesses.
“The petition came up today for ruling and issuance of the pre-hearing report.
“The ruling was in respect of application for interrogatories brought by the petitioners, seeking for some answers from the 2nd respondent, Peter Mbah, that he should answer some questions regarding when he was appointed as Chief of Staff, when he was appointed commissioner for finance in Enugu State, when he was called to the NIgerian Bar and the institutions he attended, based on his replies to the petition.
“But the court in its considered ruling this morning, 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.”
The Tribunal adjourned the case to July 7 for trial.