Tribunal is frustrating our right of appeal, PDP cries out

The Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State has accused the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Benin City of frustrating its right of appeal in the judgment delivered in the petition filed by Hon Omosede Igbinedion against the election of Hon Dennis Idahosa.

In the judgment, the three-man panel had dismissed Omosede’s petition for lack of merit.

But the PDP said it was curious to lovers of democracy about what it termed unwarranted delay in the release of the Certified True Copy of the Enrolled Order of Judgement

A statement signed by state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, said the Omosede petition was the first the tribunal read and delivered its judgement on 10 days ago.

According to the statement, “It is a known fact that parties are allowed by law to go on appeal within 21 days of judgement.

“But our right of appeal is being frustrated by the deliberate delay to avail us with copies of the judgement to enable us file our appeal within time. We are informed that APC leaders have boasted that by the time we get certified copies of the judgement, our lawyers will not have time to file any appeal. They have admitted in certain quarters that they may lose at appeal even though they know that the tribunal tried in its 5 hour long judgment to justify its position.

“Edo PDP calls on the tribunal to immediately do the needful as it is common knowledge that copies of judgement passed several days after the Omosede Igbinedion petition have been made available to the parties involved.

“The tribunal will be doing itself a great disservice if they allow APC to create the impression that in this particular case, they are taking instructions from “outside”.”

But State Chairman of the Edo APC, Barr. Ansell Ojezua, denied allegations of party leaders having fears of losing at the appeal.

Barr. Ojezua said the APC has more judgment to file appeal against more than the PDP.

He urged the PDP to know where to direct their complaints against.

“When did the APC become a member of the judiciary? We are also affected by the delay.”