ALL PROGRESSIVE CONGRESS (APC) BARR. EYO NSAEKPO V. HON. VICTOR IKPEME ALL PROGRESSIVE GRAND ALLIANCE (APGA) V. NTUFAM (HON.) ETTAMBORA INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION HON. BOBBY EKPENYONG BARR. EYO NSANKPO PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) LABOUR PARTY

OTISI JCA: (Delivering the Lead Judgment): The 2nd appellant was a candidate of the 1st appellant for the Calabar/ Odukpani Federal House Constituency, Cross River State. He was joined as 4th respondent in a petition filed by the petitioners before the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal (the Tribunal). The petitioners are described as the 1st set of respondents in this appeal. A On 30 July 2015, the 1st appellant brought a motion on notice before the Tribunal seeking, inter alia , orders from the Tribunal to be joined as a party to the petition as well as leave and extension of time to file a cross-petition. The said application was argued and in a well considered ruling delivered by the Tribunal on 10 August 2015, the appellants’ said motion was dismissal in its entirety as lacking in merit. Dissatisfied with the ruling, the appellants filed a notice of appeal with five grounds of appeal. Considered examination of the processes filed by the parties i…