As the case between Ize-iyamu and Obaseki thickens, the presiding judge in Edo State has ordered a recount of the total votes.
A vote recount has been ordered at a court hearing today in a case involving the People’s Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress over the last Edo guber elections.
Politics Nigeria learnt that the senior counsel to PDP, Yusuf Ali (SAN), prayed the court commence the recounting exercise from tomorrow Friday and Saturday, while sitting resumes on Monday next week.
But all respondents objected to the pray of the petitioner, that the court can’t stop proceedings because of the pray of the petitioner but that recounting can’t be done outside the court but the exercise should commences immediately within the timeframe for the petitioner.
In his response, Yusuf Ali (SAN) argued that it’s the responsibility of the judge to take a definite decision concerning the matter because they are saddled with the responsibility to do so.
He added that the office of the registrar can be used which is within the court premises with representatives from all parties. So he prayed the court to discard the irrelevant objections presented by counsel to the 3 respondents and make sure the judgement of the tribunal is executed.
The judge thereafter ruled that the exercise commences immediately inside the court room.
Meanwhile, counsel to the Independent National Elect0ral Commission, INEC informed the court that a staff who will represent them in the recounting is still in the office but it will take him 30 minutes to arrive the court from Aduwawa head office.
But counsel to the petitioner advice that in the course of waiting for the said INEC staff, the remaining subpoenaed witnesses should be cross-examined ,this the judge obliged and the process just started.
