2015: S-Court to hear Jonathan's eligibility suit Dec 16
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA—The Supreme Court, yesterday, fixed December 16 to commence hearing on the suit seeking to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from vying for a re-election next year.
The apex court okayed the appeal which was filed before it by a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Adamawa State, Dr. Umar Ardo for hearing on a day President Jonathan insisted that he is legally qualified to contest in the 2015 general elections.
The President, through his lawyer Mr. Ade Okeaya-Inneh, SAN, told the court that he has already supplied before it, plethora of legal authorities backing his re-election bid. He argued that Ardo has no strong case against him , insisting that he is permitted by the 1999 constitution to go for a second tenure in office.
Meantime, whereas the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, through its lawyer Mr. C. I. Paul, yesterday, applied for a short time to file its response to the suit, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, told the apex court that it would remain neutral and abide by whatever decision the court will take on the contentious issue.
While adjourning the case, Justice Tanko Mohammed who presided over the apex court panel yesterday, gave all the parties seven days to file and exchange their written arguments.
Ardo is through his lawyer Dr. A. Amuda Kannike, praying the court to stop President Jonathan.
He is further challenging the refusal of the Abuja Division of the Appeal Court to join him as a party in the suit that was filed against Jonathan by another member of the PDP, Mr. Cyriacus Njoku.
He contended that the outcome of that case will personally affect him since the PDP had already adopted the 1st Respondent, Jonathan, as its sole candidate for the impending Presidential poll.
Ardo had at the appellate court, insisted that he has garnered enough evidence with a view to proving that President Jonathan lacks the legal imprimatur to remain in office beyond 2015.
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