The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa has constituted a fresh panel to hear appeals over the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State.
The three-member panel has Justice Ibrahim Saulawa (Acting Presiding Justice of the Calabar division of the court) as the head. Other members are Justices Ignatius Igwe Agube and Ita Godwin Mbaba (both of the Owerri division.
The new panel is to act in place of the last one, headed by Justice Jumai Sankey that withdrew on Tuesday following a petition by factional Chairman of the PDP in Ondo, Prince Biyi Poroye.
Justice Bulkachuwa, in a letter dated November 1, 2016, a copy of which was handed over to the court’s Chief Registrar, informed members of the new panel of their appointment.
The new panel is to hear and determine four appeals.
They include: CA/A/402//2016, filed by the Ahmed Makarfi faction of the PDP against Benson Akingboye and two others; CA/A/551/m/2016 filed by Ahmed Makarfi and Ben Obi against Biyi Poroye and 10 others and CA/A/551A/m/2016 filed by Clement Faboyede and another against 10 others.
The panel is also to hear an appeal marked: CA/A/EPT/567/2015 filed by Diri Kelly Adonye and INEC and two others.
Two pending appeals in relation to the Ondo PDP crisis it yet to be assigned to any panel.
They are: CA/A/551C/2016 filed by Eyitayo Jegede against Prince Biyi Poroye and 10 others; and CA/A551B/2016 filed by the PDP against Biyi Poroye and 9 others.
In her letter to members of the new panel, Justice Bulkachuwa directed them to independently design their work schedule, including dates of hearing of the appeals.
They are also to liaise with the Presiding Justice of the Abuja division of the court, Justice Abdu Aboki.
Part of the letter reads: “You are hereby empannelled to sit and determine the above appeals in Abuja Division expeditiously.
“Hon. Justice I. M. M Saulawa will be presiding in the panel.
“Fixation of dates to be worked out with the Presiding Justice, Abuja division.”
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