Posted by From Christopher Isiguzo in Owerri on
Satisfied with the judgement of the Anambra State Election Petition Tribunal which last week nullified the election of Governor Chris Ngige, the archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Rt Rev. Anthony Obinna has called for the arrest of all who participated in the alleged Anambra State electoral fraud.
Satisfied with the judgement of the Anambra State Election Petition Tribunal which last week nullified the election of Governor Chris Ngige, the archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Rt Rev. Anthony Obinna has called for the arrest of all who participated in the alleged Anambra State electoral fraud.
ln an exclusive interview with THISDAY in Owerri yesterday, Arch-bishop Obinna said both Governor Ngige and his enstranged political god-father, Chris Uba should be made to face the full weight of the law, saying their offence is highly criminal.
He argued Ngige's election should have been nullied should have come up immediately Uba made an open confession to President Olusegun Obasanjo. According to him, the judgement has vindicated the people who have have alleged fraud in the 2003 governorship election in the state.
"This nullification should have happened earlier based on the facts made known to the President. But because western legality is very ambigious, not always based on truth, that's why it took this long time to arrive at the truth. What we have in this country is indeed a highly sophisticated legal system and it's not helping us at all", he said.
The catholic cleric said "l believe what has happened in Anambra was at its wits end bacause the President had earlier held meeting a with the principal actors on the Anambra issue - Governor Chris Ngige and Chief Chris Uba wherein the President told us that they confessed to him that the said elections were distorted. The people knew that the elections were flawed, so it has vindicated everyone of us".
Arch-bishop Obinna also made a case for the total of overhaul of the country's legal system in order to avois a repeat of the election rigging in 2007 , insisting that efforts must be made to eliminate the influences of people who use money power, military power and thuggery to distort the elctoral process.
He equally used the forum to comment on the much speculated third term agenda of President Obasanjo, saying the President must allay the fears of Nigerians by coming out openly to disown the campaigners no matter how they may be highly placed.
"The President should be statesmanly enough to come out to disown them. He might even go further to call for the immediate arrest and prosecution of anybody calling for third term because it's unconstitutional," he said adding that it's only then the President would have fully convinced Nigerians that he has no hidden agenda.