The Abuja Magistrates Court today delivered a crucial ruling in the case involving Senator Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Edo governorship election. The court decided to adjourn the hearing indefinitely following an order by Justice O.C. Agbaza of the FCT High Court granting Okpebholo permission to file an application for judicial review of the criminal summons issued against him.
The order by Justice Agbaza, which came on a unilateral motion filed by Okpebholo’s counsel, Adaze Emwanta, fixed the hearing date for October 28.
The case in question was initiated by an Edo indigene, Honesty Aginbatse, accusing Okpebholo of providing contradictory dates of birth in his nomination forms submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for candidacy in the elections.
In response to the order, Okpebholo approached the FCT High Court through his lawyer. Justice Agbaza’s order allowed both applications.
However, when the matter was called up on Friday at the Wuse Zone 2 Magistrates Court, neither Aginbatse nor Okpebholo was present in court. Counsel for the plaintiff informed the court that despite several attempts, the defendant had not been notified of the summons.
The court then decided, in view of the pending judicial review order, to adjourn the matter sine die pending the conclusion of the motion pending before the FCT High Court.
The matter raises questions about manipulation of court proceedings for political gain, with accusations levelled against Okpebholo to discredit his public image ahead of the elections. The APC candidate stressed that the allegations against him had already been resolved in court and that summons had not been properly served.
Ultimately, this case highlights the importance of transparency and integrity in the electoral process, and underscores the need for fair and impartial justice in political matters.