ABEOKUTA – The Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital on Friday has denied granting the request of the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo to change the party’s counsel in its petition filed at the Tribunal.
Recall that, a National newspaper had on Friday reported that, the Tribunal had granted the request of Oguntoyinbo asking the party’s counsel, Peter Ogah (Esq) of the Law Firm of Peter Ogah & Partners to step down from the case.
The party had filed a petition before the Tribunal, challenging the victory of governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Saturday, March 18 election.
NNPP is challenging alleged omission of the party’s name on the ballot papers for the governorship and State Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This, according to the party was a violation of the electoral act.
NNPP in an affidavit deposed by the State Chairman, Oginni Olaposi insisted that, the party lodged filed the petition because it was dissatisfied with the outcome of the election.
However, Oguntoyinbo in a motion dated, Tuesday April 11, sought an order of the court to appoint another counsel, Isaac Dale Izunya of Izunya Izunya & Co to take over the case from Peter Ogah (Esq) of the Law Firm of Peter Ogah & Partners.
But, speaking on the motion, The Secretary of the Tribunal, Ezenta Obioma said, the Tribunal was yet to commence proceedings on the petitions received.
Although, Ezenta said, a party had filed a motion requesting a change of counsel, “but the Tribunal has not decided on the motion yet”.
Asked when the Tribunal would commence sitting, the Secretary of the Tribunal said, “We are still at the filing stage, so I cannot tell you precisely when the Tribunal is going to commence sitting.”
The Chairman of NNPP, Oginni Olaposi also denied that the party had changed its counsel, saying Peter Ogah remained the lawyer appointed by the State Executive Council of the party to pursue its case at the Tribunal.
“I want to confirm to you that, the Ogun State NNPP has not and will never change our counsel who has been doing a very good job for us at the Tribunal.
“He (Ogah) has done the right thing by filing our petition at the appropriate time, so we have a petition that is alive and kicking, filed by Peter Ogah, the counsel approved by the State Executive Council and the Chairman of Ogun State, Comrade Oginni Olaposi Sunday.
“The only petition of NNPP at the Ogun 2023 Governorship Tribunal is deposed of an affidavit by my humble self and therefore there is nobody else that has a power to replace our counsel”, Oginni said.
