NewsCourt Commences Hearing On Disputed Cross River APC Guber Ticket

Court Commences Hearing On Disputed Cross River APC Guber Ticket

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September 07, (THEWILL) – A Federal High Court, sitting in Calabar, has commenced hearing in the disputed gubernatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress in Cross River State.

The dispute is between the acclaimed winner of the primaries, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu and former senator representing Cross River Central in the national assembly, John Owan Enoh.

The matter with suit number FHC/CA/CS/95/2022, has Senator John Owan Enoh on one hand and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governorship candidate, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, on the other hand.

The dispute arose on the grounds of the candidate’s screening, academic certificates, and clearance from the APC screening committee.

During the hearing, Council to Senator John Owan Enoh, Awa Kalu (SAN), argued that, to be qualified to run for party primaries, the aspirants must be screened by the screening committee set up by the second defendant (APC) and cleared to run for party primaries.

This he held is a major criterion for aspirants participation in party primaries.

He further argued that “Our submission is that, based on the documents available to us, the third defendant (Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu), has not showed that he was fully cleared after screening and the plaintiff hasn’t equally indicated that there was an appeal to the screening committee from the third defendant.”

On his part, Mike Ozekhone (SAN), remarked that the plaintiff “cannot now come suddenly, to bring in oral evidence by calling someone from WAEC to come and testify.

“We don’t know what he wants to testify about; but the law is that before he can even be allowed to testify, he must first show the contradiction he wants to address, which he has not shown”, he told reporters.

Following the arguments of the third defendant against council to Senator Enoh, on the grounds of originating Summons, the presiding judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, ruled that the matter is adjourned to Thursday, September 8, 2022, to allow parties to produce their thoughts on the matter.

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THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.

Bassey Aniekan, THEWILLhttps://thewillnews.com
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.

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