Posted by By Matthias Nwogu, Umuahia on
The Justice Yusuf Abdullahi-led election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia has dismissed the petition filed by the All Progressive Grand Alliance Candidate in the April 14 Abia governorship election, Chief Uzodinma Okpara, challenging the declaration of Chief Dr. Theodore Ahamefula Orji as duly elected.
The Justice Yusuf Abdullahi-led election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia has dismissed the petition filed by the All Progressive Grand Alliance Candidate in the April 14 Abia governorship election, Chief Uzodinma Okpara, challenging the declaration of Chief Dr. Theodore Ahamefula Orji as duly elected.
Dismissing the petition and upholding the election of Chief Orji as the duly elected Governor of Abia State, the Tribunal held that the election was not flawed by substantial non-compliance of the provisions of the electoral Act of 2006.
In the judgment read by Justice O. Idahosa, the tribunal held that all the evidence adduced by the APGA candidate in the election, Chief Okpara and other witnesses were mere hear-say which can stand on nothing.
The tribunal said the petitioner was not able to prove their allegation of wide spread irregularity by naming the polling units, wards or persons involved in the irregularity in a substantial number that would affect the outcome of the election.
It noted that the petitioner did not make effort to establish the number of ballot boxes that he alleged was snatched to determine its effect on the election.
Counsel for the petitioner, Okwuchukwu Ogolo, SAN, had pleaded that the election was invalid on the basis of non-compliance with the provision of the 2006 Electoral Act and had urged the tribunal to nullify the election.
But counsel to the respondents, Chief T. A. Orji and the PPA, Chief Awa Kalu (San), had held that the election was free and fair and was not marred by any non substantial compliance to the Electoral Act of 2006.
Commenting on the judgment, counsel to PPA, Chief Awa Kalu hailed the verdict, noting that the petitioners failed to prove very serious and grave allegation that would have voided the election.
Speaking also, the special assistant to the governor on Media Matters Mr. Kingsley Emeruwa, said the tribunal has confirmed what the people said through their votes on April 14, 2007.
The government, he said was using the opportunity to call on the opposition to join the administration to move the state forward.
He said he was optimistic that the remaining judgment, that of the PDP would go the same way as that of ANPP and APGA, where judgment were entered in favour of PPA.
'We are very confident that the judiciary will give us the victory we secured in April 14.
Reacting to the judgment, the state chairman of APGA,Chief Morgan Anyalechi said the party has reservation over the verdict and stated that the party would take a position within the next 24 hours.
In another victory for the PPA, the tribunal struck out the petition against Senator Uche Chukwumerije in the Abia North Senatorial election by Chief Christopher Kanu of the African Political System for lack of locus standi.
Throwing out the petition, the tribunal said that that the petitioner did not get the support of his party as required by law to file the petition.