The governorship candidate of the Labour Party(LP), Mr. Olumide Akpata, has filed an application for extension of time to respond to charges brought against him by the plaintiff, Mr. Kenneth Imansuangbon, a governorship aspirant of the party in its primary election. The case is being heard at the Federal High Court, sitting in Benin City.
Akpata, represented by N.E. Ogbeide, prayed the court to grant him more time to respond to the interlocutory injunction.
The Counsel to the plaintiff, A. A. Malik, argued that the application to seek for time extension was lacking in merit and lack substantive evidence within the ambit of the law.
Malik also upheld the point that the first defendant presented the application to the court and served on them at the same day the case was slated for hearing.
Ogbeide however argued that the law was silent on the time to file response on pre-election matters such as this and asked the court to grant his prayer to respond to affidavit filed against him by the plaintiff.
Counsel to the plaintiff, A.A. Malik also prayed the court not to entertain any application from the defendant whatsoever as the defendant has enough time to file any application to respond to any affidavit brought against him.
At this point, the Presiding Judge, Justice Babatunde Quadri, advised both parties to address their applications properly and adjourned the case to 8am on Monday, 3rd June, 2024.
Discussion about this post