Omehia Vs Amaechi: Court Rejects INEC's Plea

…Fixes Date For Hearing

It was a woeful day for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the State Election Petition Tribunal rejected its plea that the witnesses for Sir Ngozichim Omehia be barred from giving their witnesses.

INEC on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 applied to the tribunal that all the witnesses for the petitioner, Sir Omehia, be barred from testifying with the exception of four of them.

This was totally rejected by the tribunal, just as it earlier rejected the plea of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, that the retrial granted to Sir Omehia be nullified.

Sir Omehia the flag-bearer of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA in Rivers State, the petitioner, has rejected the outcome of the April 26, 2011 governorship election in the state insisting that it was massively rigged by the ruling party, the PDP, in connivance with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

On Tuesday, January 31, APGA asked for four days to prove its case.

INEC also asked for four days to state its case, the same number of days requested by the 3rd respondent, the PDP, while the first and second respondents, Governor Amaechi and Engr. Tele Ikuru, asked for five days each.

Meanwhile, the PDP's plea that it be allowed to inspect the INEC materials was granted and the tribunal adjourned the case till Monday February 6, 2012 for hearing.###