Sen. Bassey Otu
Diana Okon-Effiog, Calabar
Sen. Bassey Otu of the Labour Party (LP) has filed an appeal challenging the verdict of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Cross River.
Otu, who lost the Cross River Southern Senatorial slot to Sen. Gershom Bassey of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) had challenged the result at the lower tribunal and lost.
Otu, who anchored his appeal on 12 grounds, prayed the court to set aside the decision of the lower tribunal delivered on Oct. 12, 2015 in Calabar or alternatively order a retrial.
He stated that the lower tribunal refused to re-hear the petition de novo (afresh) but proceeded to deliver judgement in the same suit it earlier held to be of “academic value”.
Otu stated that after the reconstitution of the panel and assumption of a new chairman, the tribunal ought to have started the matter de novo (afresh).
He stated that the refusal of the panel to start afresh or conduct fresh proceedings denied the appellants the opportunity of prosecuting their petition and deprived them their constitutional rights.
According to the appeal the trial tribunal erred in law and denied the appellants their right to fair hearing when it refused or failed to consider the appellant’s legal argument on the qualification of Sen. Bassey to contest the election.
It also stated that the decision of the lower tribunal n was against the weight of evidence and therefore urged the appellate court to allow Otu’s appeal.
The appellant also urged the court to declare him as the rightly elected candidate who scored majority of lawful votes cast in the March 28, 2015 senatorial election.
admin
