Tribunal reserves judgements on petitions difficult Ebonyi governor’s election

The Ebonyi State Governorship Election Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, on Friday, reserved judgement on two petitions in search of to upturn Governor Francis Nwifuru‘s victory within the final election within the state.

Mr Nwifuru was elected Ebonyi State governor on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in March.

Nevertheless, the Peoples Democratic Occasion (PDP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), of their separate petitions, urged the tribunal’s three-member panel headed by Lekan Ogunmoye, to nullify Mr Nwifuru’s victory on account of his non-qualification for the election.

Closing arguments

At Friday’s proceedings, PDP’s governorship candidate, Chukwuma Ifeanyi, by his lawyer, Chris Uche, contended that the APC didn’t correctly nominate Mr Nwifuru to fly its flag on the polls.

Referencing the Proof Act, Mr Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), advised the court docket that the “membership
register (Enwanweigwe Ward) for the” APC “didn’t come from correct custody because it must be licensed if it got here from” INEC” as required by the legislation.”

He additional contended that the purported statements of the ballot outcomes from the polling Unit in Ebonyi State Native Authorities Areas” weren’t tendered by the polling unit brokers and didn’t fulfill the situation in Part 137 of the Electoral Act 2022.”

“The above paperwork are subsequently patently inadmissible and, having been wrongfully admitted, must be expunged…”

Mr Uche prayed the court docket to affirm his consumer’s petition and declare Mr Ifeanyi the duly elected governor of Ebonyi State.

Within the second case difficult the governor’s victory, APGA’s governorship candidate, Benard Odoh, a professor, urged the court docket to overturn the Ebonyi governor’s election on the bottom of non-qualification.

Mr Odoh’s lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa, a SAN, argued that Mr Nwifuru, “who was till and after the election, a member of the Ebonyi State Home of Meeting and in addition occupied the workplace of the Speaker of the home underneath the platform of Peoples Democratic Occasion (PDP) was not certified to contest the election to the seat of Governor of Ebonyi State performed by the” the electoral fee.

ALSO READ: Ebonyi govt to declare state of emergency in well being, training

However Mr Nwifuru’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, a SAN, prayed the court docket to dismiss the fits for being unmeritorious.

Mr Ikpeazu argued that Mr Nwifuru whereas serving as Speaker of the Ebonyi State Home of Meeting, resigned his membership of the PDP and joined the APC earlier than vying for the governorship main election of the latter.

He additionally offered APC’s membership register containing Mr Nwifuru’s particulars for Enwanweigwe Ward, the governor’s nation residence.

After listening to legal professionals closing arguments, the tribunal chair, Mr Ogunmoye, mentioned a date for judgement could be communicated to events within the fits.

Background

The electoral umpire declared Mr Nwifuru because the winner of the state’s election, triggering a few fits to put aside the ballot.

Mr Nwifuru polled a complete of 199,131 votes throughout the 13 native councils within the state to beat his closest rival, Mr Ifeanyi of the PDP, who scored 80,191 votes.

Along with Mr Nwifuru’s alleged non-qualification, Mr Ifeanyi and the PDP, of their joint go well with, argued that Mr Nwifuru did not safe the vast majority of lawful votes throughout the contest.

The petitioners contended INEC breached the Electoral Act in its conduct of the election.

However INEC lawyer, Oladipo Tolani, disagreed with the petitioners, arguing that the electoral umpire complied with the legislation whereas conducting the polls.