The New Nigeria Peoples Party's appeal to limit the constitutional rights of House Leader Alhassan Ado Doguwa was denied by the National/State House of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal, which was in Kano on Thursday.
As Alhassan Doguwa's major opponent in the most recent National Assembly elections, Air Commodore Yusha'u Salisu (retd.) had contacted the tribunal with an ex-parte motion asking the court to restrict the time to respond to claims related to the February 25 election.
The NNPP candidate's attorney, Bar. Bashir Yusuf Tudun Wuzirci, requested the court restrict the time for responding from 21 days to three days in an ex-parte application that included three prayers.
According to the tribunal's rules, the respondent has seven days from the declaration of the outcome to file a memorandum of appearance and has 14 days from that point to make his reply or respond within 21 days.
In his decision, Judge A.B. Lawal-Akapo, the tribunal's chair, argued that granting the respondent his legally prescribed 21-day grace period would only be fair in the eyes of the law.
Nonetheless, the panel gave the petitioner permission to use a replacement method of serving Doguwa by pasting the summon at the Kano APC Secretariat.
