Edo gov’ship: APC seeks transfer of suit against Ize-Iyamu

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, to transfer the suit seeking the disqualification of its candidate in the Edo State governorship election, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

The suit was filed by Momoh Abdul-Razak through his lawyer, Friday Nwosu , against the APC, Ize-Iyamu, INEC and the deputy governorship candidate, Audu Ganiyu, challenging the candidate’s participation in the election on account of alleged ineligibility.

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But in the petition dated August 20, 2020 and signed by the National Secretary of the party’s Caretaker Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, the party accused the presiding judge in the matter, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of preferring a speedy hearing by granting an application for abridgment of time.

The APC accused Justice Taiwo of being close to the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Edo State governorship election national campaign council, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

The APC specifically alleged that on August 10, Justice Taiwo on his own reduced the time allowed by law for the defendants to respond even when they had not been served with the originating summons by fixing the matter for August 24 when motion on notice for abridgment of time had not been moved by plaintiffs.

When the matter came up on Monday, lawyers to Ize-Iyamu and APC, Roland Otaru (SAN) and Ehiogie West-Idahosa both informed the court about the petition, but the judge explained that only the CJ can handle it administratively, adding that the National Judicial Council (NJC) directed that no pre-election matter shall stop proceedings until otherwise directed by the council.

Consequently, the lawyers applied for adjournment to enable them respond to the issues raised in the suit.

The suit was adjourned to September 3 for hearing.