Magistrate Abubakar Mukhtar of the Magistrates’ Court in Abuja on Friday, adjourned hearing in the alleged perjury case filed against the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s governorship candidate in Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, indefinitely.
The adjournment followed an order of Justice O.C. Agbaza of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court granting leave for Okpebholo to file an application for the judicial review of Mukhtar’s criminal summons against him.
Justice Agbaza, who granted the motion ex-parte moved by Okpebholo’s lawyer, Adaze Emwanta, adjourned the matter till October 28 for a hearing.
The magistrate had on September 12 summoned Okpebholo for allegedly making a false statement on his date of birth.
The APC candidate was asked to appear before the court at noon on September 20 (today).
He was accused of presenting conflicting dates of birth in his nomination forms submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the election.
The case with suit no CR/W22/816/2024 was filed by an indigene of Edo State, Honesty Aginbatse.
Against this order, Okpebholo, through his lawyer, Emwanta, filed a suit before the FCT High Court.
The applicant listed Mr. Aginbatse and Mukhtar as respondents.
After the ex-parte motion was moved, Justice Agbaza granted the two reliefs sought.
However, when the matter was called on Friday at the Magistrate Court neither Aginbatse nor Okpebholo was in court.
Lawyer to Aginbatse, R.O. Azinye, told the court that the matter was slated for mention.
Azinye informed the court that the Okpebholo had not been served with the hearing notice after several attempts.
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