Kogi: Tribunal clears Bello for inauguration

 

•Police warn trouble-makers

From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja

Efforts to stop tomorrow’s inauguration of Kogi State Governor-elect, Alhaji Yahaya Bello suffered a setback yesterday when the Election Petitions Tribunal struck out  the two motions seeking an interlocutory injunction to halt the ceremony. 

Lawyer to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDzP) and Labour Party (LP) had filed separate exparte motions seeking for an order to stop Bello’s inauguration alleging that he was not properly elected.

But the tribunal Chairman, Justice Halima Mohammed, dismissed the motions, saying  they were not contained in the original petitions, but were smuggled in through Motion on Notice.

She said, “if the court granted the motions, it will definitely affect the life of the original case as it was  not part of the suit brought before the tribunal.

The LP’s lawyer, Reuben  Egwaba, had sought for the  injunction on the ground that  Bello had no deputy during the supplementary election of December 5, 2015.     

Justice Mohammed urged all the affected parties in the suit to be prepared for  accelerated hearing of the substantive case which will commence from next sitting, warning that the tribunal will no longer entertain the pre-hearing matters again. 

The counsel to outgoing Governor Idris Wada, Mr. Pius Akubo, hailed the ruling, saying the present scenario in the state is novel and based on the novelty, the world is watching Kogi.    

Egwaba also lauded the verdict, saying they were ready for the substantive suit.

Meanwhile, ahead of tomorrow’s inauguration, the Police Commissioner, Mr Bessan Gwana, has warned anybody who wants to disrupt the exercise to have a rethink as the police will deal decisively with whoever foments trouble, no matter how highly placed.

In a statement issued in Lokoja yesterday by the command’s spokesman, Mr. William Aya, the commissioner expressed the readiness of the force to create a conducive atmosphere for a peaceful transition.

The command warned thugs and miscreants to steer clear of the venue even as he cautioned parents and guardians not to allow anybody to use their children or wards  for thuggery.