Tina Amanda
The National and State Assembly Election Tribunal in Port Harcourt has dismissed the Petition filed by the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and its candidate for the Rivers West Senatorial District, Dighobo Obaghama, challenging the victory of Senator Betty Appiafi.
In his ruling, Justice GK Kaigama said that the petitioner was not interested in participating in the pre-trial hearing process by taking three adjournments during the process.
The Tribunal also ruled that the several adjournments showed unseriousness and an intention to delay the matter.
The Tribunal awarded N400 thousand Naira to the first and second respondents and 200 thousand Naira to the third respondents as the cost to be paid.
Speaking to our reporter Tina Amanda, Counsel to Betty Apiafi, Ifedayo Adedipe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the penalty for continued seeking for adjournment is loss of the petition.
Also speaking, Counsel to the SDP, Somina Elekima, said the first petitioners were not ready for the pre-hearing and based on the rule guiding Tribunal, it has no option but to dismiss the petition.
On his part, Collins Dike, Counsel to SDP, Candidate Dighobo Obaghama, said they were ready to proceed on the matter, but didn’t want to proceed without cleaning up their process to reflect the current status of just one petitioner left, adding that they will continue to seek for Justice on the matter.
