Tribunal upholds Obiano’s election

The Anambra governorship election petition tribunal has upheld the election of Gov. Willie Obiano in the Nov. 18, 2107 polls. It will be recalled that Ms Praise Okechukwu, candidate of the Mega Progressives Peoples Party (MPPP) in her petition prayed the tribunal to annul Obiano’s victory for non-substantial compliance to the electoral act. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also respondents in the suit. Justice H. A Olusiyi, chairman of the tribunal in a unanimous judgment ruled that the petitioner had not proven her case substantially to invalidate the election. Mr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) counsel to Obiano described the judgment as welcome as the election in question was the best in the history of Anambra and that the victory was convincing. Ikpeazu said it was the institutional right of the petitioner to have contested the poll but it was not necessary. “It was the confirmation that the past election was about the best in Anambra,” he said. Mr Emeka Etiaba (SAN) counsel to INEC also lauded the tribunal for a job well done. “You know there were three petitions, we raised preliminary objections and based on that, one was struck out and in its wisdom, the tribunal decided to hear these other ones and one of them has been decided in our favour today,” he said On his part, Mr Nkem Ekweozoh, counsel to Okechukwu said he would appeal the ruling as he was not satisfied with the decision. Ekweozoh said some aspects of his petition were not addressed in his application to inspect sensitive materials which INEC refused to make available to him. NAN]]>