By Julius Alabi, Akure
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has engaged a Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to prosecute the petition filed by it before the Election Tribunal sitting in Akure, Ondo state over its missing logo from the ballot paper during the last National Assembly election in the state.
The party had denied withdrawing the case jointly Instituted by it and Dr Olusegun Phillips-Alonge, the senatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Ondo North Senatorial District.
“To set the record straight and for the benefit of our teeming members, supporters and general public, the State Chairman of the party, Pastor Peter Olagookun and its Secretary, Comrade Adekunle Oluwayomi in a statement issued today said, what happened was that the lawyer initially handling the case withdrew his services due to personal reasons but the party at the National level has help us engaged a Senior Advocates of Nigeria to prosecute the case at the Tribunal.
“It is not true that NNPP has withdrew the case from the Tribunal or did Dr Olusegun Phillips-Alonge, the senatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Ondo North Senatorial District have such power to withdraw his petition challenging the declaration of Pastor Jide Ipinsagba, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner without informing the party,” the party said.
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The party stated that “our party did not withdraw the petition against INEC, APC and Ipinsagba at the Ondo state Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Akure
“It’s evidently clear that the name of NNPP was not on the logo on the ballot. What the Law says is that any omission of this sort is tantamount to exclusion from participating in the said election.
“Our request for justice is that the election is declared null and void and a fresh election with name and logo of NNPP to be conducted within a reasonable time,” the statement noted.
In his own reaction, the State Secretary of the party, Adekunle said that “The petition we filed at the Tribunal, THE PETITION OF THE NEW NIGERIA PEOPLES PARTY AND DR. OLUSEGUN KIKIEDAOLUWA PHILIPS- ALONGE OF OPAS COTTAGE, ERUSU -AKOKO, AKOKO NORTH WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ONDO STATE WHOSE NAMES ARE SUBSCRIBED HEREIN is stil at the Tribunal.
“In the petition, we are seeking an order directing the 3RD Respondent (INEC) to conduct, within NINETY days of the Judgment of this Tribunal, a new election to the office of the Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District to include the 1st Petitioner, NNPP, its candidate the 2ND Petitioner.
“A declaration that the Petitioners were unlawfully excluded from the election conducted into Ondo North senatorial District, seat of the senate of the National Assembly held on the 25th day of February, 2023.
“An Order declaring the election to the seat of the Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District held on the 25th day of February, 2023 as null and void.
“An Order nullifying the election into the seat of the Senate of National assembly for Ondo North senatorial District, of Ondo State held on the 25th day of February,2023 and the return of the 3RD Respondent made there from,”, Adekunle added.
