Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on Friday struck out an application brought before it by former deputy governor, Chief Stephen Lawani, seeking to amend his petition challenging the election of Comrade Abba Moro of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Lawani who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Benue South Senatorial District in the last general elections is challenging the return of Moro (PDP) as the winner of the February 23, 2019 Senatorial election for the district. At the resumption of pre-hearing of the petition in Makurdi, yesterday, Lawani’s counsel, Sunday Okpare, prayed the tribunal to grant his client leave to amend his petition. But counsel to Moro, Barrister Kenneth Ikonne and that of the PDP who were joined in the suit raised objection to Lawani’s application to amend the petition, arguing that amending the petition would have adverse effect on their reply. Ruling on the application, a member of the tribunal, Hon Justice C. M. Ken-Eze, agreed with the submissions of Ikonne that the petitioner’s proposed amendment will introduce substantial issues to the petition.