By Ma’aji Dandaura & Iliya Audu

The Nasarawa State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Lafia, has adjourned further hearing till August 4, 2008 in the case between Honourable Mohammed Baba Ibaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr. Umaru Sani Ebini of the Action Congress (AC). The two candidates contested for the House of Assembly by-election for Udege/Loko constituency in which Ibaku was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, the Action Congress candidate, Mr. Ebini, instituted a petition before the tribunal against Honourable Ibaku’s victory at the polls.

The case was adjourned as the counsel to the petitioner was absent when the matter came up for mention at the tribunal.

In a related development, the tribunal has also fixed the 5th of August, 2008 for mentioning in a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Honourable Barrister Innocent, over the House of Assembly by-election for Wamba constituency, in which Honourable Lagi of the Labour Party (LP) was declared winner by INEC.

The PDP went to the tribunal to challenge the exclusion of the name of its party’s candidate in the by-election, and also seeking the tribunal to order for a fresh election to be conducted with the PDP candidate’s name included in the list of contestants.

It would be recalled that following the nullification of the election of AbdulHameed Yakubu Kwara, the former member representing Wamba constituency in the state House of Assembly, a by-election was ordered by the tribunal.

However, the PDP was not allowed to field a candidate in the House of Assembly by-election conducted by INEC.