Tribunal To Adopt Ayade, Jarigbe’s Final Addresses Thursday

Cross River State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Calabar has set a new date for counsels of parties involved in the case between Senator Ben Ayade and Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe to adopt their final written addresses.

The three man-panel led by Justice M. A. Sambo had earlier fixed yesterday for adoption of the written addresses, but the counsels to Jarigbe Agom, PDP and INEC raised some issues concerning service of addresses by counsel to former Governor Ben Ayade.

The tribunal however rescheduled adoption of the written addresses to Thursday this week following an appeal by counsel to the third respondent (PDP), Innocent Ovat.

The PDP counsel said that as he speaks, he and his client (the PDP) received an electronic copy of the petitioner’s address  on Saturday night and the hard copy on Sunday evening.

Ovat stressed that they are entitled to three days within which to file their reply on points of law and prayed the tribunal to grant them the request.

In his remarks, counsel to the first respondents (INEC) stated that they are easy for their adoption urging the petitioners not to set a time limit for the adumberation of their reply.

In his reaction to the issue, counsel to the second respondent (Jarigbe) Dr. I. Kanu Agabi, said that they are ready for their presentation.

Agabi informed the court that certain procedures even when accessed can be grounds of appeal adding that they want to explore the number of days granted by the law and use the days granted by the law to reply on the points of law.

In his earlier remarks, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, who is a counsel to the petitioner, objected to the extension of time for the adoption of written addresses stressing that the addresses would not necessarily require a reply so that it won’t lead to endless replies on points of law.

The tribunal maintained that the tribunal is bound by time adding that the adoption of written addresses should now come up on the 24th of August, 2023.