The Bayelsa State Elections Petition Tribunal on Wednesday commenced a pre-trial hearing into the petition filed by a former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, against the election of Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce as Senator-elect for the Bayelsa East Senatorial District.
He is hinging his argument on the Senator’s alleged dual citizenship and refusal to relinquish such before the election.
Sylva is also asking the tribunal to disqualify Murray-Bruce due to the irregularities and manipulations allegedly carried out by the PDP and its agents during the election in Brass and other parts of the district.
He is asking the tribunal to uphold his candidature and declare him the valid winner of the election.
At the pre-trial hearing on Wednesday, counsel for Sylva, Abang Ogar, was engaged in legal arguments with the counsel for Murray Bruce, Chief Duro Adeleye as well as the counsel representing the Independent National Electoral Commission, Samuel Brisibe, over the legality of the motion for the extension of time to respond to the objections raised by Sylva’s petition.
Ogar, in his argument against the objection raised by Olaleye and Brisibe, said the motion for extension of time was based on mandatory position of law.
He noted that the motion could only be granted and could not be stopped due to the rule of the court.
Sylva, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the district in the March 28 National Assembly election, had approached the tribunal headed by Justice Ononoeze Madu, asking the court to declare Murray-Bruce unqualified to contest the National Assembly election.
He is hinging his argument on the Senator’s alleged dual citizenship and refusal to relinquish such before the election.
Sylva is also asking the tribunal to disqualify Murray-Bruce due to the irregularities and manipulations allegedly carried out by the PDP and its agents during the election in Brass and other parts of the district.
He is asking the tribunal to uphold his candidature and declare him the valid winner of the election.
At the pre-trial hearing on Wednesday, counsel for Sylva, Abang Ogar, was engaged in legal arguments with the counsel for Murray Bruce, Chief Duro Adeleye as well as the counsel representing the Independent National Electoral Commission, Samuel Brisibe, over the legality of the motion for the extension of time to respond to the objections raised by Sylva’s petition.
Ogar, in his argument against the objection raised by Olaleye and Brisibe, said the motion for extension of time was based on mandatory position of law.
He noted that the motion could only be granted and could not be stopped due to the rule of the court.
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