Ondo crisis: Jimoh Ibrahim seeks dissolution of new panel

Beluolisa Nwofor, counsel to Jimoh Ibrahim, has challenged the jurisdiction of the new panel setup by Zainab Bulkachuwa, president of the court of appeal to hear and determine the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ondo governorship crisis.

He prayed that the court be disbanded.

Reacting his application, Wole Olanipekun, counsel to Eyitayo Jegede, factional candidate of the party in Ondo, urged the judges to dismiss the motion.

“We are urging your lordship to dismiss the motion on the motion itself, may I submit that there is nothing to counter in it,” Olanipekun told the court.

“For your lordship cannot act on a speculative pattern, the president of the court of appeal is not a party to the party and they want her to set aside her administrative decision?

“The court has no jurisdiction to countenance the application how much more of granting it. This is an attempt to truncate the judicial process.”

Responding Nwofor said there was no need to join the president of the court of appeal into the matter but argued that her administrative decision could be challenged.

“Facts admitted do not need further proof. I haven’t admitted that his client made representations unilaterally to the president of this court,” he said.

“I submit that it is absolutely unnecessary to drag the president of the court out of her office to face query in this matter. The application is unchallenged and should be granted.”

The three-man panel of judges led by Ibrahim Saulawa, a justice, have reserved ruling on the application.