A
ttai Ogwunenwa Audu Jos
The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission,PLASIEC, on Thursday instituted a fresh motion calling on the court to stop the proceedings of a suit brought by the People Democratic Party ,PDP, challenging their exclusion from purported plan to prevent their candidates from contesting the forthcoming October Local Government election in Plateau state.
Edward G. Pwajok ,SAN,told newsmen that the motion for the adjourning the proceedings till after the vacation to them was brought by Pwul in bad faith because they know that we told the court that PLASIEC has fixed the LG election for October, 2021 .
According to Pwajok SAN ,”if you’re saying the matter should be adjourn may be towards the end of September that means that they want to consolidate their decision to exclude PDP from conduct of the election .
Pwajok,SAN, said the question should be asked If PLASIEC Is not supposed to be independent ?and are they not suppose to be neutral .This doesn’t show neutrality for them to be asking for adjournment until after the vacation .
He explained further that what they are doing now is because as a matter of fact, they have engage the services of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria ,SAN,so is not for PLASIEC that is going to be arguing the matter in court so why are afraid that they don’t want the matter to be heard .
” They have engage the services of a lawyer allow them to handle the work approximately and that is why we are happy with the court for given us short adjournment date .
He stressed that if PLASIEC think this is their delay tactics,we help them ,they can run but they can not hid ,we must argued this matter ,considering that PLASIEC is government agency ,they’re supposed to represent the people of Nigeria as they’re funded by the people of Nigeria which is including you and I not answerable to other masquerade somewhere .
According to him ,” Let them know that they are suppose to be a neutral body but what they’re doing now they are showing that they are part of the players they demonstrate that they are referee.
He added that PLASIEC by what they’re doing now is rubbishing the neutrality and content of the electoral body.
Chief Garba Pwul ,SAN, in his own argument, claimed that there wasn’t any application moved in court today but due to the fact that we have filed an application seeking the judge not to sit on this matter again during vacation why because this matter is not for vacation judges.
“We said the matter can be heard under a normal court proceedings which had the right to entertain the suit ,however, the vacation is meant for both lawyers, Bar and inner bar ,and jurist to embark holiday to rest .
Pwul ,SAN ,emphasized that this was why we drew the attention of your lordship to the fact that this case should not be entertain during vacation and court proceedings matter are done through filing processes .
We can file a motions during vacation but this is not for vacation matter ,therefore, they should adjourn the matter beyond vacation period to deal with the matter on merit .
The plaintiff in this case the PDP need to respond to what ever we do in court, it is a balanced fair hearing so they needed to study our motion with the view of replying to it .
The judge in his wisdom ruled that they should come back on the 11th August, 2021 to argue that motion before he would give his ruling on whether this matter should be heard before the hearing of PDP substantive suit against PLASIEC.
Counsel to the petitioner ,Barr. E.G Pwajok told the court that the matter was adjourned today for hearing on two issues ,the preliminary objection and originating surmouns .
He told the court that they’ve filed their further and better application which is attached with affidavit and a written address all joined together .
However, counsel to the respondent ,G.S.Pwul confirmed that they’ve been served with complainant preliminary objection on the substantive ,originating surmouns but based on understanding, they have filed and exchange arguments were received this morning .
Pwul ,” we have file our counter application waiting to be moved which is accompanied with a written address “.
This case has been adjourned to 11th August for further hearing .
Oracle Reporters 