Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The presiding judge on the Imo All Progressives Congress (APC) suit, Justice Lewis Allagoa, of the Federal High Court, Owerri, Imo State capital, has dished out warnings to lawyers and defendants involved in the case to desist from further delay of the hearing of the Originating Summon in the suit with Suit No FHC/OW/CS/69/2018.
Allagoa, while presiding over the suit, on Tuesday, turned down the plea by the lead Counsel to the Defendants, Kelvin Nwufor (SAN), to further adjourn the case beyond this week, maintaining that the nature of the matter demands an accelerated hearing.
Nwufor, during the last sitting, had pleaded for an extension of date from June 22 to June 26 to enable him attend to the burial rights of his mother in- law which was graciously granted by the court.
But his plea for another extension to attend to an important matter during yesterday’s sitting was turned down by the judge.
According to the presiding judge, “I had indulged you before and adjourned the matter to allow you attend the burial of your mother in-law but this Court will not entertain further delay of this matter.
“I will not go beyond this week, after this week I will go ahead and give my ruling on this matter. If anyone fails to come I will foreclose him and go ahead with the ruling. I have indulged you enough in this matter and this Court will no longer entertain any ploy to delay the hearing of the originating summon beyond this week,” Allagoa stated.
Defendants include the former APC National Organising Secretary, Sen. Osita Izunaso, the State Chairman of the party, Dr. Hilary Eke, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and others.
Meanwhile, the lead Counsel to the Plaintiffs, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), told the Court that that they were served a Counter Affidavit by Counsel to the defendants at exactly 5.55pm on Monday and prayed that the matter be adjourned to Friday 29 for hearing, to enable him respond to the Counter Affidavit.
The Court granted the prayer and adjourned the matter to 29 of June for hearing.