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Tribunal upholds APGA’s victory in Imo
EMMA OGU,
Owerri
IMO
State Election Petition Tribunal has upheld the election of Hon. Uche Onyeagocha,
the only All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) lawmaker from the state in the
House of Representatives.
Onyeagocha, who represents Owerri
constituency, was dragged to the tribunal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
candidate in the poll, Mr. Uche Ejiogu, challenging the APGA candidate’s
election.
In a three-and-half hour judgment on
Wednesday, which was described by lawyers of parties involved in the suit as a
"thorough job," Justice M.N. Oniyangi, dismissed the petition filed by the PDP
candidate on the ground that "it lacks merit" and went further to uphold
Onyeagocha’s victory.
In arriving at its conclusion, the
tribunal said it was satisfied that Onyeagocha won majority of votes cast in the
election, that officials who conducted the said election were duly approved by
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and that results produced
were authentic and recorded in INEC’s authentic result sheets.
Ejiogu had alleged that the said election
was marked by malpractices and irregularities, that the poll was not conducted
by returning officers duly appointed by INEC while results generated were
altered and mutilated even as some results sheets were marred by incorrect
entries.
He said Onyeagocha did not win majority of
votes cast and urged the tribunal to void the election.
In the ruling that kicked off by 5.15 p.m.
and ended at 8.45 p.m., the tribunal, after reviewing all the submissions and
evidence adduced by counsel to both parties, said the petitioner failed to prove
that the first respondent (Onyeagocha) altered the contentious result sheet of
the election.
Justice Oniyangi noted that Ejiogu failed
to produce evidence that the second batch of electoral officers who collated the
result of Owerri Municipal Council were not duly appointed by INEC.
He noted in particular the testimony of
Alhaji Yusuf Nnova, INEC officer in charge of logistics, who said that INEC
conducted the election in accordance with guidelines and that all electoral
officials who participated in the poll performed their duties under delegated
authority of INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner.
"We therefore, discountenance the
submissions of the petitioner. We also dismiss the case as it is totally lacking
in merit. Presiding officers should have been joined in the suit to tell the
story of what happened in the said polling booths being counted. The tribunal
therefore upholds the election of the respondent and duly elected candidate in
the said election," Oniyangi held.
Onyeagocha who was carried shoulder high
by APGA supporters after the judgement, told journalists that the verdict was a
victory for the masses and for all Owerri people.
Tension had reigned at the venue of the
tribunal as the ruling scheduled to hold at 9.00 a.m. could not start till
evening time.
Before delivering judgement, Justice
Oniyangi apologised for the late arrival of members of the tribunal reminding
the people that he and his men sit from morning till night daily.
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