ABSENCE of Court of Appeal Judges in Sokoto on Tuesday stalled hearing of an appeal suit filed by Mr Sadiq Sule-Iko challenging the nomination of Sen. Bala Na’Allah’s as the All Progressive Congress (APC) Kebbi South Senatorial District candidate.

Sule-Iko approached the Appeal Court, Sokoto Division, challenging the decision of Federal High Court in Birnin Kebbi that struck out his suit in which he challenged the validity of Na’Allah’s nomination during the APC primaries conducted in October 2018.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that no reason was given for the absence of the judges.

Lawyers from the appellant’s and defendant’s sides were in court on Tuesday.

The new date would be communicated to to the parties.

NAN reports that the lower court struck out the case on the grounds that the suit was not filed within the 14 days duration as required by the Constitution.

It held that in spite of the irregularities, intimidation, police harassment at the primary election held on Oct. 3, 2018 and Oct. 4, 2018, the plaintiff failed to file the suit within the required time and it has rendered the case “incompetent”.

The court also faulted Sule-Iko’s counsel for not signing the writ of summons which could not supply valid information to the court. (NAN)

– June 11, 2019 @ 11:17 GMT |