From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Edo Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin, yesterday, granted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Young Democratic Party (YDP), leave to serve their petitions by substituted service, on the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the governor-elect, Mr Godwin Obaseki.
Arguing their separate motion ex-parte filed before the tribunal, counsel to the PDP and YDP, Kingsley Obamogie and Ugo Nwofor, respectively, said they had made effort to serve their petitions on the respondents without success.
They alleged that the APC and Obaseki were dodging receipt of service from the court’s bailiff.
They, therefore, requested the permission of the respondents by substituted service by pasting the court processes on the wall or doors of the last known addresses of the respondents.
The tribunal chairman, Justice A. Badamasi, said the court’s order for substituted service was in compliance with section 47 of the electoral Act 2010( as Amended).
According to the Chairman, the substituted service would be deemed to have been properly served on the respondents once effected by the court’s bailiff.
The petitioners gave the last known addresses of the respondents as APC state headquarters along Airport road and N0. 8 Commercial Road, GRA, residence of Obaseki, both in Benin.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Obaseki winner in the September 28 governorship election having scored 319, 483 votes against Ize-Iyamu’s 253,173 votes, who came second amongs the 19 candidates who contested the election.
But the PDP and its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie and YDP and its governorship candidate, Nurudeen Inwanfero, in separate petitions, are challenging the outcome of the election.