…BASSEY ALBERT FLOODS COURT WITH 8 LAWYERS, LOSES BID TO EXTEND TIME

The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo,Tuesday adjourned for judgement after hearing a suit challenging the candidature of Senator Bassey Albert of the Young Progressives Party YPP.

The court has turned down the motion for time extension by Senator Bassey Albert on technical grounds.

A lawyer, Alexander Asuquo had dragged Senator Bassey Albert to court over alleged attempt to inherit the Young Progressives Party ticket from the Pastor Nyenime Andy.

When the matter came before Justice A. A. Okeke for hearing of the substantive suit together with all the pending applications, the Plaintiff Alexander Asuquo appeared in person with N. C. Ikono.

The 1st and 2nd Defendants (Nyenimeh Andy and Young Progressives Party YPP) were represented by C. N. Wigwe and E. N. Akpabio while the 3rd Defendant Senator Bassey Albert was represented by eight ( lawyers led by Ime Asanga, Esq and Barr. Jerry Akpan.

When the Plaintiff Alexander Asuquo announced appearance with N. C. Ikono Esq, counsel to the 3rd Defendant, Barr. Jerry Akpan tried to object to the appearance of the Plaintiff with another lawyer.

The Court shut him down stating that the Plaintiff can appear for himself in company of other lawyers.

Drama however ensued after the 1st and 2nd Defendants attempted to move their motion for extension of time but were intercepted by the Plaintiff who informed the Court that Nyenimeh Andy and YPP were yet to show evidence of payment of penalty after filing outside the window allowed by the rules of the Court.

Despite the plea by the 1st and 2nd Defendants' lawyer that the Court should allow them move the motion first, the Court turned them down and insisted that they must show proof that they have paid the penalty to validate their processes.

The matter was consequently stood down to allow the Counsel for the 1st and 2nd Defendants to do the needful. It took almost an hour before the Bassey Alberts lawyer came up with a proof of payment. The Plaintiff told the court that he would not raise any issue on that again so that the matter will be determined expeditiously.

The court resisted all moves by the parties and insisted on completing the hearing and adoption of processes.

The Court thereafter reserved the judgment till a further date that will be communicated to the parties.

Mr Alexander Asuquo is joining the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Pastor Nyenime Andy, Senator Bassey Albert and the Independent National Electoral Commission, as defendants.

The plaintiff is seeking judicial answers to questions bordering on whether the state chairman of the party can validly use his position as the chairman of the party to preserve and reserve the gubernatorial ticket of the party to Sen. Bassey Albert (3rd Defendant) who was already nominated under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Great stuff