The Elections Petition Tribunals sitting in Owerri yesterday sacked the senator representing Imo North Senatorial District (Okigwe Zone) in the National Assembly, Senator Athan Achonu, And ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct a fresh election within 90 days of the judgment to elect a senator for the senatorial zone.

Just as this was happening, another tribunal also sitting in Owerri upheld the election of Hon. Ezenwa Onyewuchi as the member representing Owerri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives following the striking out of the petitions of the candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC and Social Democratic Party, SDP in the March 28, 2015, National Assembly elections in the constituency namely: Hon. Chuks Ololo and Earnest Ibejiako respectively.

Delivering Judgment in the petition filed by the candidate of the Accord Party for the March 28, 2015 Okigwe senatorial poll, Mrs. Rita Ibemere Okoroafor challenging the unlawful exclusion of her party logo and symbol from the customized ballot paper for her senatorial zone and further claim that the unlawful exclusion vitiated substantial compliance of the said election with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, the tribunal ruled that the Accord Party candidate proved her case beyond all reasonable doubt.

Reading the judgment on behalf of other tribunal members, Hon. Justice Garba I.B argued that the tribunal had no option than to accede to the petitioner’s request to nullify the poll because her witnesses and evidence before the court were consistent and established beyond all reasonable doubts that she was not only unlawfully excluded but also that the election did not meet substantial compliance as demanded by 2010 Electoral Act as amended.

The tribunal also described as totally unacceptable INEC’s claim that it rectified the omission by using the customized ballot for Imo East (Owerri Zone) following its discovery two days to the election that the logo and symbol of Accord Party was missing as the court noted that the attempt was akin to digging a new pit to fill an old one since it would have resulted in the unlawful exclusion of parties whose logos and symbols were omitted in Imo East (Owerri Zone) ballot paper.

Consequent upon the above illegal and unconstitutional breaches the court accordingly upheld the petition on its merit and ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election in which the petitioner as the duly nominated candidate of her party would participate in within 90 days from the date of the judgment.

While it was tears galore for the large crowd of supporters of Senator Achonu, It was excitement galore for the lawmaker representing Owerri Federal Constituency in the House of Reps, Hon. Onyewuchi and his supporters following the affirmation of his victory in the March 28 Owerri Federal Constituency, House of Representatives election.

Delivering judgment in the petitions brought before it by Hon. Ernest Ibejiakor (SDP), and Eng. Chucks Ololo of APC, the tribunal argued that in law the onus of proof of criminal and corrupt allegations rest on the party alleging, adding however, that in the matters before it the two petitioners have not been able to fulfill this fundamental requirement.

The tribunal held that their petitions were mere speculative, vague and lacking in merit and therefore not convincing enough to warrant the cancellation of the election of March 28, 2015 in the Owerri Federal Constituency and were accordingly struck out.

http://247ureports.com/tribunal-sacks-imo-pdp-senator-achonu-asks-inec-to-conduct-fresh-election/

http://m.thenigerianvoice.com/news/193581/1/accord-uwajumogus-supporters-jubilate-as-tribunal-.html

Way to Go Nigeria....... Next general election, people will definitely thread soft.

Our judicial system seems to be waking up from over 16 years slumber

Supporters of Accord and that of the former Speaker of the Imo state House of Assembly and the flag-bearer of the All Progressive Congress APC, in the march 28, Imo North senatorial elections, RT, Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu, yesterday took to the major streets of Owerri and Okigwe, after the National Assembly Tribunal nullified the election of Senator Athan Achonu, representing Imo North senatorial district.

Accord and Uwajumogu’s supporters, who inundated the major streets of Okigwe and Owerri, singing songs of jubilation in praise to God, where full of praise for the Accord party and its leadership for remaining true to the aspirations of Okigwe people , even as the surging crowd disrupted free flow of vehicular movement around the capital city.

The annulment followed the petition of the Accord, in suit No EPT/SEN/IM/2/2015, in which the party prayed the tribunal to nullify the March 28, Imo North senatorial elections, owing to the fact that the logo of her party, the Accord was excluded from the customized ballot paper used in the conduct of the said election, .

In his judgment, the presiding Judge, Justice Garuba observed that Ibemere and her party, the Accord Party satisfied every precondition for eligibility to stand for the Imo North senatorial election. He noted that having proved to the Tribunal that they fulfilled all requirement for nomination and were duly registered to contest the Imo North senatorial election and that their chances at the election were jeopardized by the wrongful exclusion of their party logo, the tribunal upheld their petition and accordingly nullified the election.

Meanwhile, various stakeholders and prominent Okigwe indigenes, has hailed the decision of the tribunal to nullify the elections, maintaining that the decision reflects the wishes and aspiration of Okigwe people, as the election, they insisted did not conform with the provisions of the electoral Act.

http://m.thenigerianvoice.com/news/193581/1/accord-uwajumogus-supporters-jubilate-as-tribunal-.html

This one na INEC's stupid mistake!!anyway Senator no lele,you will surely be returned

wanderfull!!!!

see how the cookie crumbles for the one arm general.

Time 2 plant d seed of APC in Igbo -land..........PDP shld enjoy dia last opportunity#

Fp

APC will still lose, Rochas has messed uip the fortunes of APC in Imo State. He's a bad and greedy leader, so because of this, the PDP will soon win.

Click like if you agree that Rochas is a terrible Governor and click Share if you disagree

go for appeal Sir

He will surely win the re-run

finestiyke:
APC will still lose, Rochas has messed uip the fortunes of APC in Imo State. He's a bad and greedy leader, so because of this, the PDP will soon win.

Click like if you agree that Rochas is a terrible Governor and click Share if you disagree

Though I agree on some of the points you raised esp on the aspect of Rochas pushing his family members for appointments I don't see Achonu winning again cos of other reasons not connected with Rochas. I know the terrain very well.

Lalasticlala

Achonu might loose because there's serious infighting with PDP members in Okigwe zone many senatorial aspirants felt the PDP primaries wasn't free and fair and might want to pay him back...

But this Accord woman wey no go get reach 500 votes na him make them cancel the election? tho we all knew the APC senatorial aspirant Uwajumogu paid all her legal fees for this case

LordMecuzy:
Achonu might loose because there's serious infighting with PDP members in Okigwe zone many senatorial aspirants felt the PDP primaries wasn't free and fair and might want to pay him back...

But this Accord woman wey no go get reach 500 votes na him make them cancel the election? tho we all knew the APC senatorial aspirant Uwajumogu paid all her legal fees for this case

You understand the politics wella? Are you from that zone?

kahal29:

You understand the politics wella? Are you from that zone?

I'm from Owerri zone

LordMecuzy:


I'm from Owerri zone

No wonder. Am from owerri zone too.

chukwudi44:
This one na INEC's stupid mistake!!anyway Senator no lele,you will surely be returned

You can imagine the costly mistake INEC made. Millions or Billions would be wasted for the re-run and the money can empower the lives of some youths from IMO state . Yet JEGA and his crew were hailed as though they performed miracle.


Well, PDP is south east and south east is PDP.

Even if the election be contested for 20 times, The man shall be victorious.

This has just repeated itself in Bayelsa