Daniel sues Court of Appeal president over petition

Olayinka Olukoya, Abeokuta. - 02.05.2008

Ogun State governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel, has dragged the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Umaru Abdullahi, before a Federal High Court in Abeokuta praying the court to stop him from setting up another election petition tribunal panel in the state.

The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) governorship candidate in the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, had written to Justice Abdullahi and requested that a new panel be constituted to hear his petition filed against the victory of Governor Daniel in the 2007 election.

The panel, under the chairmanship of Justice Haruna Tsanmmani, had at the last hearing, adjourned the commencement of the trial indefinitely in obidience to the instruction from Justice Abdullahi.

The governor asked the court to restrain the Appeal Court president from constituting another panel other than the one which heard the petition between him and Senator Amosun in the first instance.

Also joined in the suit filed by the governor’s counsel, Professor Taiwo Osinpitan (SAN), were Senator Amosun and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The governor, in a 19-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the Director of Organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Deji Kalejaiye, said if the injunction being sought was not granted, the President of the Court of Appeal would set up another panel on the petition.

Kalejaiye also said if the new panel was allowed, he feared that his right to fair hearing would have been violated whereas he had a chance of success in the substantive suit.

Hearing on the matter has been fixed for May 14.