Okorocha vs INEC: Summary Of Thursday’s Court Hearing

Naija News has obtained the summary of the court hearing in the suit involving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Rochas Okorocha, the outgoing governor of Imo state, south-east, which held on Thursday, May 16.

On Thursday, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, refused requests by two persons seeking to be joined as fresh parties in a suit filed by Okorocha the over his certificate of return.

Justice Okon Abang, the trial judge, refused the applications brought by Ozumba Chibuonyem and Ekwutosilam Theophilus by their counsel on the grounds that the application was not yet before the court while the other had yet to be served on all parties.

The trial judge, held that both applications were incompetent and struck them out, adding that they were brought in bad fate before the court.

Justice Abang held that the counsel filed the applications just to delay the matter which had already been fixed for substantive hearing.

On the other hand, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), the counsel to Okorocha, had urged the court to strike out the application on the grounds that he had not been served, NAN reports

The court had also earlier struck out an application filed by Orji Nwafor- Orizu, counsel to the third defendant, Mr Osita Izunaso asking for a stay of proceedings pending the determination of an appeal.

The judge struck out the application on the grounds that it was incompetent since the seventh defendant had not been served as at the time the application was moved.

Nwafor-Orizu had informed the court that he had filed an appeal against the ruling of the court of May 8 where the court took steps in the matter without first hearing the issue of jurisdiction that was raised.

counsel to the third defendant said that one of the grounds of the appeal was that the trial court erred in law when it ruled that the Peoples Democratic Party could be joined as a party without first hearing the application challenging jurisdiction.

The judge thereafter adjourned the matter till today, Thursday, May 17 for continuation of hearing in the substantive matter.

This online news platform understands that the outgoing Imo governor is in court asking for an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him with a Certificate of Return as the Senator- elect for Imo West Senatorial District.

The matter was first assigned to Justice Taiwo Taiwo but following allegations of bias, he recused himself from hearing the matter and returned the case file to the Chief Judge of the court for reassignment.