By Oginyi Ruth
The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital on Monday upheld the election of Governor David Umahi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 9th Governorship election.
Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Chief Ajah Agha had approached the tribunal to challenge the victory of Gov. Umahi on the ground of unlawful exclusion of his name from INEC ballot papers, accusing PDP and its candidate to have masterminded his exclusion.
The sitting which took place at the state High Court premises had Justice A.B Abdukarim as the presiding judge who dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.
Delivering judgement, chairman of the Tribunal, Abdukarim quashed the case, saying,” PDM did not submit the name of their candidate to INEC when they were supposed to do so.
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“Your party sent the name three days after closure of submission according to finding.”
“Also your party did not organize primaries as to produce a candidate according to INECs guideline, therefore, your petition lacks merit,” he stated.
Reacting to the judgment, the state Deputy Governor, Mr Kelechi Igwe who led other Exco members to the tribunal, said the court is not a chessboard so it has proven that no one can deceive the people of the state.
The lead counsel, to the government, Author Obi Okafor SAN noted that the lawyers were given opportunity to present their cases and no one can complain of not given a fair hearing. And commended the court and said that the petitioner if not satisfied with the judgment could appeal for redress.
