Court to hear suits on Melaye’s recall Friday

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Friday for the hearing of two suits seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from proceeding with the process of recalling Senator Dino Melaye from the upper legislative chamber.

The first suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/567/2017, was filed by Melaye, while the second, marked: FHC/ABJ/601/2017, was filed by the Kogi State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and 12 others.

The other plaintiffs in the second suit are – Alhaji ‎Haddy Ametuo, Hon. Shaibu Osune, S.T Adejo, Comrade Yahaya Ade Ismail, Chief Gbenga Ashagun, Ahovi S. Ibrahim, Ghali ND Usman, Isa Abubakar, I. Molemodile, Abubakr M. Adamu and Daniel Sekpe.

The vacation judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, fixed Friday for hearing after granting an application by Olatunji Atoyebi (for the plaintiffs in the second suit) for the consolidation of his client’s case, pending before another judge of the court, with the one by Melaye (which is already slated for hearing during the court’s vacation).

The judge said the consolidation was necessary to prevent the rendering of conflicting judgments by two judges of the court, since the cases were on  same issue.

Earlier in the proceeding, the judge granted two applications, admitting new parties to the suit. The first application was filed by three individuals, who said they coordinated the petition for Melaye’s recall – Chief Cornelius Olowo, John Anjorin and Malam Yusuf Adamu.

They were joined as defendants in the suit by Melaye.

The second application was filed by five persons – Afolabi Lydia Olufunke, Mrs. Iyabose Owolabi, Sanya Grace Folake, Salihu Abubakar Abdullahi and Micheal Olowolaiyemo, who identified themselves as registered voters from Kogi West.

They were joined as co-plaintiffs in the suit by Melaye.