Tribunal upholds election of David Mark
Fri Jul 01, 2016 07:28:am Politics
2.3K By Buchi Obichie
The petition by the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Benue South senatorial election, Daniel Onjeh, challenging the victory of Senator David Mark, was on Thursday dismissed by the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, on the grounds that it was filed out of time.
Onjeh while challenging the victory of Senator Mark in the February 20, 2016 rerun election, cited electoral malpractices and irregularities in the conduct of the poll.
However, Senator Mark, through his counsel, Mr. Ken Ikonne, had challenged the jurisdiction of the Tribunal to entertain the matter on the grounds that it was incompetent and statute barred.
Onjeh, through his counsel, Adetunji Oso, had asked the Tribunal to hear the suit on its merits insisting that the matter was properly brought before the Tribunal.
However, Mark contended that having been declared winner of the election on February 21, 2016, the petitioner had 21 days from the day of the declaration of the result to file his petition; and he failed to do so within the time frame.
He argued that Onjeh's petition was filed on March 13, 2016 outside the 21 days allowed by law for such matters to be generated before a tribunal and in total variance with the provisions of Section 285(5) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The tribunal ruled in Senator Mark's favor.
Onjeh while challenging the victory of Senator Mark in the February 20, 2016 rerun election, cited electoral malpractices and irregularities in the conduct of the poll.
However, Senator Mark, through his counsel, Mr. Ken Ikonne, had challenged the jurisdiction of the Tribunal to entertain the matter on the grounds that it was incompetent and statute barred.
Onjeh, through his counsel, Adetunji Oso, had asked the Tribunal to hear the suit on its merits insisting that the matter was properly brought before the Tribunal.
However, Mark contended that having been declared winner of the election on February 21, 2016, the petitioner had 21 days from the day of the declaration of the result to file his petition; and he failed to do so within the time frame.
He argued that Onjeh's petition was filed on March 13, 2016 outside the 21 days allowed by law for such matters to be generated before a tribunal and in total variance with the provisions of Section 285(5) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The tribunal ruled in Senator Mark's favor.
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