By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

The absence of the Presiding Judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Birnin Kebbi, Justice Babagana Ashigar, has stalled the ongoing pre-election matters before him.

Justice Ashigar, has been presiding over many pre-election matters involving All Progressives Congress (APC) and that of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates, whose elections were being challenged in the Court.

At the court session on Wednesday, July 28, 2022, the slated hearing of pre-election cases of Jega, Aliero and Gwandu federal constituency primary elections and that of Yauri, Shanga and Ngaski Federal constituency primary election seat were stalled due to the absence of the Judge.

After waiting for hours, the Registry of the Court, informed Claimant’s and Defendant’s Counsel that the Court would not it due to the ill-health of the presiding Judge.

Both the Claimant’s and Defendant’s Counsel who came from Abuja, Sokoto and Kebbi states, however, were asked to take new dates for their cases.

At the court, which was fully crowded by supporters of various candidates, including Hon. Muhammad Umar Jega of APC who is challenging Kabiru Labbo Jega, APC and INEC for allegedly substituting his name having won the primary election of Jega, Aliero and Gwandu Federal Constituency conducted by APC were dejected by the absence the Judge.

They expressed concern over the time-bound on the pre-election matters, which, according to them, was “sui-generis,” as a result of absence of the presiding Judge and new adjournment of their matters to August 17 and 18, 2022 which might go outside the time frame for hearing and determining pre-election matters.

Reliable sources, who craved for anonymity, told our Correspondent that, due to the nature of the presiding Judge’s illness, coupled with the fact he was also expected to embark on terminal leave soon, as well as retirement from the service in the next few months, the litigants were expecting him to notify the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, headquarters, Abuja, to assign another Judge to take over the matters.

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