Ugochukwu Iwuchukwu
The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt has set aside the ruling of National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal that turned down a witness of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC from testifying in the case between Iminabo Amachree of All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA and Boma Goodhead of Peoples Democratic Party PDP.
Iminabo Amachree who is challenging the victory of Boma Goodhead at the National and State Assembly Election Tribunal for the Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency had gone to the Appeal Court to challenge the decision of the tribunal.
Justice.A.M.LAMIDO while delivering its judgment said the tribunal was wrong to rule against the witness from testifying at the tribunal
The Court of Appeal also ordered the tribunal to allow the witness to give its testimony.
The Court of Appeal stated that the ruling of the National and State Assembly Election Tribunal is a breach of fair hearing.
Bisi Afolabi, the lawyer to Iminabo Amachree said the Appeal Court considered their arguments and ruled in their favour for the witness to testify at the tribunal.
Bisi Afolabi said the Court of Appeal judgment has sanctioned the witness to enter the witness box and testify during the proceedings of the tribunal.
The lawyer of PDP Wale Balogun our correspondent that the party will abide by the Appeal Court judgment.
He said that the PDP will now go back to the tribunal and take the testimony of the witness.
