Tribunal upholds Orji’s election

However, spontaneous protests greeted the tribunal’s decision, which declared Orji, as the senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District. Protesters, who had gathered at the School Road shortly after the judgment was delivered, expressed disappointed with some saying “this is not acceptable’’ and “something must have gone amiss.” Ahamdi Nweke, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the March 28, 2015 senatorial election had challenged the declaration of Chief Orji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He argued that it was not in compliance with the electoral law. The petitioner also alleged that the election was characterised by malpractice, alteration, mutilation and inflation of votes in favour of the respondent. He wanted the tribunal to upturn the election and declare him winner or order a re-run. But affirming the election of Chief Orji, the tribunal struck out Nweke’s petition for lack of competence, saying: “We dismiss the petition because it is vague, unverifiable and unreliable.” In another development, National Assembly election petition tribunal sitting in Abakaliki yesterday upheld the elections of Senators Sam Egwu and Obinna Ogba representing Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central Senatorial zones, respectively, as the winners of the March 28 National Assembly election on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Peter Ogali and the first son of the former governor, Martin Elechi, Prince Elechi Nnanna Elechi all of Labour Party (LP), had approached the election petition tribunal seeking the tribunal to nullify the declaration of Senator Egwu and Ogba by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winners of the election on the grounds of electoral violence, irregularities, non-compliance to the principles and guidelines of the Electoral Act among, others. Delivering the judgment, which was unanimous, the Chairman, Justice Joel Agya, held that the petitioners could not prove their cases beyond reasonable doubt, especially their allegations of electoral violence, irregularities and non- compliance to the electoral guidelines.]]>