TRIBUNAL IN ABIA SACKS LP’S OGAH

REPORTER: JOHN MADUAGWU

The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abia State has sacked Chief Amobi Ogah of the Labour Party (LP) representing Isuikwuato and Umunneochi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The Chairman of the First Panel handling National and State House of Assembly election petitions in Abia State, Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe, sacked the lawmaker while delivering judgment in a petition filed by Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejocha and All Progressives Congress, APC.

Justice Aderibigbe, who resolved the matter in favour of the petitioners, held that they had proved their allegation that Mr. Ogah was not qualified to contest in the election as he and the Labour Party did not comply with the provisions of section 77 by not submitting their membership register to INEC.

He insisted that Labour Party did not give INEC the mandatory 21 days notice before conducting the primary election in the federal constituency or produce any evidence to prove that it held a primary election, which produced Chief Ogah.

The Judge gave the judgment based on the documents, including result sheets tendered by both the petitioners and respondents.

The petitioners claimed that votes were deducted from polling unit results of Mrs. Onyejocha at the ward and local government collation centres.

The tribunal held that that after recomputing, the APC candidate secured 11, 936 while Chief Ogah got 9,722.

The tribunal also noted that the issue raised by the respondents that the petition be dismissed because Mrs. Onyejocha accepted a nomination to become a minister by the executive arm of government did not hold.

The tribunal pointed out that it had specific terms of reference to work with while she had the right to sustain the petition she filed to its conclusion.

In a reaction, counsel to the petitioners, Professor Joshua Olatoke (SAN), expressed happiness with the judgment and urged the respondents to accept the decision and avoid further litigation.

However, counsel to the second respondent, Labour Party, Mr. Valentine Offia and that of the third respondent, Amobi Ogah, Mr. Betrand Faotu, rejected the judgment, adding that they would go on appeal.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU