Orji Kalu, Others Petition Abia National Assembly Election Tribunal

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Thursday, April 30th, 2015

FROM IGNATIUS OKPARA, Umuahia – As the election battle shifts to the courts, the Election petition tribunal, sitting in Umuahia, Abia State has received at least 10 petitions from various candidates, regarding the March 28 National Assembly polls in the state.

African Examiner gathered that the election petition tribunal would hold its sittings at the Federal High Court, Umuahia, the Abia state capital.

With the stage set, aggrieved politicians, and those who thought they had genuine cases and enough evidences of irregularities against their mandate could approach the tribunal to seek legal redress said a source close to the panel.

However, some of the aggrieved politicians that are querying the outcome of the elections in the state included candidate of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) for Abia North Senatorial District, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, and his counterpart in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief David Ogba Onuoha.

They are challenging the election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP candidate, Mao Ohuabunwa.

Similarly, Ahamdi Emmanuel Nweke, of APGA and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Abia Central Senatorial district, Acho Obioma, are equally challenging the election of Governor Theodore Orji of PDP as Abia Central senator-elect.

The APGA candidate for Abia South, Chris Nkwonta’s petition was against the election of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of PDP.

With the exception of Aba North and South Federal constituencies won by APGA’s Ossy Prestige, Bende and Obingwa, Ugwunagbo and Osisioma federal constituencies, the remaining five others have petitioned against them.

In Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency, Nnamdi Iro Orji of APGA petitioned the election of Nkole Uko Ndukwe of PDP.

The APGA candidate for Isuikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency, Dr. Ejike Oji, also petitioned the return of Nkeiruka Onyejiocha of PDP.

Kennedy Chukuemeka Adiele of APGA also dragged the PDP candidate, Uzoma Nkem Abonta, to the tribunal for Ukwa East/ West federal constituency.

In the Isiala Ngwa North and South federal constituency, it was the APGA candidate, Chinenye Ike, against Darlington Nwokocha of PDP, while Collins Onyema of APGA was challenging the election of Samuel Onuigbo of PDP, for Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency.

Governor Orji, the senator-elect for Abia Central, has two petitions against him from Acho Obioma and Ahamdi Emmanuel Nweke, just as Mao Ohuabunwa, the PDP senator-elect for Abia North, has two petitions also from former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief David Ogba Onuoha.

The petition against Senate spokesman, Enyinnaya Abaribe, was the one from the APGA candidate, Chief Chris Nkwonta.

The petitions received and acknowledged by the secretary of the tribunal, T. O. Olalere, were filed at different dates but within the stipulated 21 days guideline after the elections.