Ngige vs Akunyili: Court dismisses Ngige's application

THE election petitionstribunal sitting inAwka, Anambra State, has dismissed for lack of merit, the motion by Dr Chris Ngige of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), challenging its competence to entertain the petition by Professor Dora Akunyili of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), after the expiration of stipulated 180 days.In a ruling delivered on Monday, it also fixed fresh 180 days for hearing of the petition filed in respect of the poll conducted for Anambra Central senatorial seat.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that Ngige had, through his counsel, Mr Emeka Ngige, filed a motion challenging the competence of the tribunal to entertain the petition, after the expiration of the stipulated 180 days for election petitions.Counsel for Akunyili, Obiora Obianwu, however, reminded the tribunal of its earlier ruling to take motions along with the hearing and urged it to abide by its decision.The chairman of the tri-bunal, Justice Onajite Kueju-bola, held that accepting the application by Ngige would render ineffective the order of the Court of Appeal, which directed that the matter be heard on merit.It also held that since there was hierarchy in the courts, it was bound to follow the directives of the Court of Appeal.
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