Abia North Labour Party Candidate Rejects Tribunal Judgement, Head To Appeal Court

The Labour Party candidate for Abia North Senatorial election Mr Nnamdi Iro Oji has rejected the judgement of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia.

A three-man panel led by Justice Samson Paul-Gang in its unanimous ruling on Tuesday dismissed the petition of Labour Party’s Nnamdi Iro-Oji for lacking merit.

The court, while upholding the victory of Kalu of the All Progressives Congress, said that his election complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The Tribunal judges also faulted the arguments of both petitioners that the election did not hold in over 120 polling units mainly in Ohafia and Arochukwu Local Government Areas of the zone.

Reacting to the judgement on Friday, Oji said the national election of 25th February, 2023 was to everybody’s knowledge inconclusive as elections were not held in Isiama Ohafia ward, Okamu Ohafia ward, Agborji Abiriba ward and some other poling units in Arochukwu/Ohafia Local Government.

Oji stated that the non holding of election in these areas was confirmed by relevant INEC officials including the Ohafia LGA electoral officer and the Abia State electoral commissioner.

He further revealed that several press statements were made where the INEC officials and the INEC national chairman confirmed INEC logistic difficulties in holding elections in the affected areas with a promise that elections will be held on a date to be announced.

Orji in a statement he personally signed expressed surprised that INEC proceeded to announce Orji Uzor Kalu of the APC as the winner of the election.

He said the declaration of Orji Uzor Kalu of the APC was made despite the fact that the margin of lead as declared by INEC between him and Orji Kalu was a paltry 3000 votes, whereas the total number of registered voters in the areas where election did not hold were almost 50,000 voters

Oji dismissed the claim of IPOB disturbance on election day in those areas by his opponents and described it as mischievous, false and unfounded.

He maintained that Orji Uzor Kalu is not qualified to contest for any political office as a result of his having been convicted of a criminal offence.

He noted that it is public knowledge and never in dispute that Orji Uzor Kalu was in the year 2019 in Suit No FHC/ABJ/CR/56/2007 convicted for the offence of stealing, forgery, money laundering etc by then Justice Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos and sentenced to some terms of imprisonment.

According to him the trial and conviction being criminal in nature and personal to Orji Uzor Kalu remains unchallenged till date by him and has never been appealed.