Bight News reports that the application by the Liberation Movement (LM) to be made a party in the petition challenging the qualification of the state’s Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, to contest the last election in the state has been rejected by the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Tribunal on Monday.
It was gathered that Liberation Movement’s candidate in the November 16, 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa, Vijah Opuama had filed the petition, alleging that Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo submitted forged credentials and documents that contain false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the election.
Recall that on May 5, 2020 the LM filed its application to be made a co-petitioner in the case, claiming to be an interested party, who will be consequently affected by the outcome.
The tribunal took arguments from parties on the application on Monday morning, the tribunal Chairman, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo ruling on the arguments, upheld the arguments of the respondents, to the effect that the party failed to justify why it filed the application late.
Justice Sirajo held that there was no exceptional circumstances to warrant the granting of the applicant’s request to have its application heard outside the tribunal’s pre-hearing session.
He noted that the time for the hearing of such application has elapsed, with the applicant not being able to justify why it delayed in seeking to be made a party in a petition filed by its candidate.
Therefore by implication, the Liberation Movement as a party can no longer be joined in the case.y
