Sokoto guber appeal judgment for Tuesday

A notice dated 10th March 2010 made available to Weekly Trust yesterday indicates that the Appeal “will be listed for judgment before the Court of Appeal sitting at Dendo Road, off Sultan Abubakar Road, near old Police Headquarters Sokoto on 16th day of March 2010.” The 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents, Governor Aliyu Wamakko, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) respectively have all been served with the notice.
Counsel to Governor Wamakko, Barrister Yahaya Mahmood has acknowledged receipt of the notice in an advertorial published in the Daily Trust edition of yesterday (Friday). Mahmood also acknowledged receiving a copy of letter addressed to the Commissioner of Police in Sokoto, requesting for security for the court and the residence Justices.
The judgment earlier fixed for February 24th was postponed indefinitely when the CJN, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, requested the Appeal Court to stay action pending the determination of a petition from the respondents against the President of the Appeal Court as well as the judges of the Appeal Court due to deliver judgment on the case.
Barrister Mahmoud had on behalf of the defendants petitioned the CJN alleging “imminent miscarriage of Justice that may occur” should the judgment be delivered on February 24th. The new date for the Judgement may have come following a go ahead given the Appeal Court to deliver the judgment.
DPP candidate Maigari Dingyadi has been challenging the eligibility of Aliyu Wamakko to stand for the governorship election under the umbrella of the PDD since 2007, which is why the judgment is being anxiously awaited by many stakeholders who feel that it is better delivered once and for all.
But in his latest petition to the CJN, Barrister Mahmood said he and his clients were not informed that the investigation by the National Judicial Council has been concluded, adding that they have not been told whether their petition had been dismissed or denied.
“We have just been notified from the Court of Appeal Sokoto that notice of judgement has been issued against March 16th. We have not been informed that the investigation by the national judicial Council has been concluded. We have not been told whether our petition has been dismissed or denied,” the petition read in part.