The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday raised opposition to the speedy hearing of a suit seeking the disqualification of its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, from the September 19, Edo State governorship election.
The party in a petition against the trial judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, of the Federal High Court, Abuja, prayed the Chief Judge of the court, Justice John Tsoho, to withdraw the suit from Justice Taiwo.
In the petition dated August 20, 2020 by the National Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, the party accused Justice Taiwo of moving faster in the hearing of suit against Ize-Iyamu by granting abridgment of time to plaintiffs in the matter when motion for same had not been moved.
APC alleged that from its findings, Justice Taiwo had a close relationship with Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council in the Edo State gubernatorial election.The party also alleged further that Governor Wike had openly boasted that he would do everything humanly possible to ensure that PDP win the poll by influencing the disqualification of Ize-Iyamu through the court.
APC specifically alleged that on August 10, Justice Taiwo suo motu abridged the time allowed by law for the defendants to respond to an issue even when they (defendants) had not been served with the originating summons by fixing the matter for August 24, when motion on notice for abridgment of time had not been moved by the plaintiffs