{"id":9032,"date":"2013-08-26T05:39:54","date_gmt":"2013-08-26T05:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/scourt-fi-xes-august-27-for-review-of-mimikos-victory\/"},"modified":"2013-08-26T05:39:54","modified_gmt":"2013-08-26T05:39:54","slug":"scourt-fi-xes-august-27-for-review-of-mimikos-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/scourt-fi-xes-august-27-for-review-of-mimikos-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"S\/Court fi xes August 27 for review of Mimiko\u2019s victory"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, has recalled some justices of the Supreme Court from vacation to sit on an emergency panel constituted to review the judgement of the Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and that of the Court of Appeal which declared Governor Olusegun Mimiko winner of the October 20, 2012 poll.<\/p>\n

The panel is to hear two separate appeals filed by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olusola Oke, and that of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN).<\/p>\n

The Supreme Court had earlier fixed September 24 to review Governor Mimiko\u2019s victory at the poll.<\/p>\n

Ordinarily, the Supreme Court does not sit on appeals while on vacation.<\/p>\n

But Justice Mariam refixed hearing on the appeals to August 27 following protests from some quarters that the September 24 would be outside the mandatory 60 days to determine the election petition appeals.<\/p>\n

When the Supreme Court adjourned hearing in the case till September 24, there was palpable tension in Ondo State.<\/p>\n

It was believed that the date announced by the Supreme Court fell outside the 60 days provided for hearing and determination of the appeal by the constitution.<\/p>\n

According to the political parties involved: \u201cThe Supreme Court is expected to deliver its judgement within 60 days and since the Appellate Court has made its own ruling on July 1, the Supreme Court judgement should fall between August 28 and 29.<\/p>\n

For instance, an Akurebased lawyer, Morakinyo Ogele, had said that the date chosen by the Supreme Court fell outside what the constitution upholds.<\/p>\n

He said that \u201cSection 285 (7) makes it mandatory for the Supreme Court to hear the case within 60 days of the judgement of Court of appeal.<\/p>\n

The Court of Appeal gave its judgment on July 1, hence the Supreme Court has up to August 29 to give judgement in the appeal.<\/p>\n

Ogele said: \u201cThe September 24 hearing date released by the Supreme Court must have been an error in view of the constitutional provision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, members of the opposition parties were frustrated as they alleged that there was a foul play over the date being fixed by the Supreme Court on their appeals.<\/p>\n

Youth Leader of the defunct ACN, Mr. Enas Mohammed, suspected that the Presidency\u2019s support for Mimiko could be responsible for the imminent constitutional crisis in the state.<\/p>\n

Already, the tribunal and the Appeal Court had earlier ruled in favour of Mimiko.<\/p>\n

The lower court based its judgement on the ground that the evidences tendered by the opposition parties, which was on the illegal injection of names into the voter register were genuine, but seen as a pre-election matter.<\/p>\n

Though the Appeal Court disagreed with the tribunal on its judgement that it is a pre-election issue, but still ruled in favour of Mimiko on the ground that the evidences were not substantial enough to nullify the October 20 election results.<\/p>\n

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: National Mirror Newspaper<\/p>\n

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