Tribunal rejects fuel offer by LP lawyer

*as lack of electricity forces Anambra Tribunal One on long adjournment

By Chuks Collins, Awka

Despite being forced to take a long adjournment due to lack of electricity in the courtroom to play a video recording introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and other energy-powered basics, the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal One panel chaired by Hon Justice L. O. Ogundana however turned down the offer by lawyer to one of the respondents to provide the tribunal with diesel to power the court’s generating set to enable things proceed on schedule.

The petition ref EPT/AN/SEN/05/2023 was brought before the three-man panel by the Anambra Central Senatorial candidate for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Hon Dozie Nwankwo, popularly called “Onyendozi” against Chief Victor Umeh of the Labour Party seeking his ouster.

The literally steaming and discomforting courtroom made the panel to adjourn to Saturday and Sunday, July 8 and 9,2023.

This was with the hope that the poor electricity supply would have improved or fixed.

The adjournment came after turned down an humble offer by Chief Alex Ejesieme(SAN), counsel to INEC to offer a self will donation of large quantity of diesel for the court complex generating set.

The panel’s Chairman, Justice Ogundana politely declined, saying he didn’t want petitions flying around against the panel over the gesture.

He however bemoaned the unfortunate situation where the tribunal sits in very uncomfortable atmosphere. There was no lighting, fans or airconditioners. He compared the hot, dusty, and unfriendly courtroom with broken windows to his experience in Edo State that was so clement with 24hours electricity supply with all the air conditioners in proper condition.

However,Ejesieme (SAN),assured that he would take the matter to the Anambra State Chief Judge immediately after the session.

Earlier while giving witness in one of the petitions brought against him, this time from Princess Helen Mbakwe, a legal practitioner Senator Victor Umeh insisted that the logo of the New Nigeria People’s Party on the ballot papers used for the Anambra Central senatorial election on Feb 25,2023 was the actual one approved by the national secretary of the party during parties meeting ahead the election at the INEC headquarters.

Umeh’s stand contradicted the position of NNPP’s candidate that her party’s logo was not on the ballot papers for the election.

Umeh stayed till now.