Wada, Faleke head for Court
By Ibrahim Ramalan and Bode Olagoke, Abuja
The legal tussle on the validity or otherwise of a gamut of issues surrounding the inconclusiveness of Kogi governorship polls begins tomorrow.
The firepower is commencing barely 72 hours before the supplementary polls.
The matter is coming up before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The four suits are seeking among others, to restrain the Independent national Electoral Commission from going ahead with the planned supplementary polls.
Justice Kolawaole said yesterday that he will hear the suits filed by the state governor, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alongside those separately filed by Raphael Igbokwe, Stephen Wada Omye, Jahnson Jacob Usman and Emmanuel Daiko.
Though all the plaintiffs told the court they could not serve the defendant namely; the All Progressives Congress , the judge ordered them to address him on three issues of law, consequent upon which the case was adjourned till tomorrow for parties to adopt their written addresses.
In a related development, the APC running mate in the election, James Faleke, has also asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to among others, declare the election as conclusive.
In a suit filed yesterday by his lawyers, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Femi Falana (SAN), Faleke condemned INEC’s decision to declare the polls inconclusive, and that calling for a substitute in place of the deceased governorship candidate, Abubakar Audu.
He therefore urged the court to among others, order INEC to “make a return following the already announced results in the governorship election.”
Meanwhile, the intra party crisis within the APC has deepened as its leadership could not publicly unveil Yahya Bello as its governorship candidate in next Saturday’s election.
The Monday fracas which followed the botched truce has further degenerated and divided the APC along the various amalgams that formed the party.
While Faleke, a serving member in the Federal House of Representatives, is said to be enjoying the backing of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and it leaders, Bello who is of the defunct CPC stock, has the backing of the presidency.
Bello, whose name was said to have been forwarded to INEC is yet to be unveiled by the party due to what a source, who pleaded not to be named described as “unpopular decision.”
The source said: “No member of the NWC can come out and raise up Yahaya Bello’s hand to the press because he was forced on the party.”
Meanwhile, Governor Idris Wada has faulted INEC’s decision to allow for a substitute for the late APC candidate in the governorship election.
In a statement by his Chief Communications Manager, . Phrank Shaibu, the governor said INEC was wrong to have followed the advice of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami hook, line and sinker.
”There is something terribly awry in a system in which a body set up to uphold the rule of law and protect the sanctity of people’s votes is the same one that has gone ahead to undermine it,” Shaibu said.
