Tribunal upholds Ebonyi gov Umahi’s election

The Ebonyi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abakaliki, on Friday, upheld the election of Governor Dave Umahi in the April 11 governorship poll.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Umahi’s election was challenged at the tribunal by the Labour Party's candidate, Chief Edward Nkwegu.

Nkwegu had prayed the tribunal to either annul the election or declare him the winner of the poll due to several electoral malpractices and violence perpetrated by the respondent’s party.

The tribunal Chairman, Justice Theresa Igoche, in a judgment that lasted more than eight hours, dismissed the petition for “lack of merit’’.

Igochie ruled that the petitioner could not prove that incidences of violence, which he claimed marred the election and contributed to his loss at the polls.

She said, “The petitioner claimed that two Labour Party polling agents, Messrs Monday Ojo and Kalu Orji, were killed by agents of the respondent’s party at Afikpo North Local Government Area.

“The petitioner could not, however, prove that the polling agents were killed by the agents of respondent’s party as the evidences he provided were insufficient.”

The tribunal chairman added that the petitioner could not mention the identities of the people he claimed had perpetrated the irregularities on behalf of the respondent and his party.

Justice Igochie stated, “The petitioner claimed that the respondent’s party and its agents, engaged in electoral irregularities such as manual voting, double thumb printing, snatching of ballot boxes among other irregularities.

“He could not however prove the specific polling units where the irregularities were committed and the identities of those who allegedly perpetrated the aforementioned irregularities.”

She said the petitioner could also not provide the actual number of votes that he claimed were dubiously awarded to the respondent as against the actual votes cast during the election.

“The petitioner could not prove incidences of electoral fraud at the various LGA of the state, as the evidences he submitted could not substantially prove incidences of irregularities in these areas.

“The petitioner’s prayer for the nullification or his declaration as the authentic winner of the election, is hereby not granted as the petition is dismissed for lack of merit,” she ruled.

Counsel for the first respondent (Umahi), Mr. Arthur Okafor, commended the tribunal for the judgment, noting that it was delivered according to proven principles of law.

The petitioner’s counsel, Mr Ikeazor Arouwe, urged the tribunal to make available to his team, copies of the judgment to enable it to study and determine its “next line of action’’.

NAN reports that security was tight in Abakaliki and other parts of the town prior to the judgment as tension rose in the state over its outcome.