Suleiman Anyalewechi, Aba
The battle to determine who between Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and Labour Party’s (LP) Engr. Chinedu Onyeizu will occupy the Abia South Senatorial seat has shifted to the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division.
This followed an appeal filled by Engr. Onyeizu on Thursday, July 13 2023, at the appellate court challenging an earlier ruling by the Abia State elections petition tribunal sitting in Umuahia, the state capital.
NewsCritic online reports that the Election Petition Tribunal headed by Justice Adeyinka Adebisi had on June 23, 2023 affirmed Sen Abaribe’s electoral victory at the February 25, 2023 Presidential and National Assembly polls. The three-man tribunal had dismissed Onyeizu’s petition on technical grounds.
In a chat with newsmen after filling his appeal, Onyeizu said he is optimistic that he will get justice, and ultimately reclaim his mandate.
“I’ve just filed an appeal to challenge the ruling of the panel 1 of the Abia State National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal setting aside my petition on technical grounds, instead of treating the case on its merit, as it is being done at other elections petition tribunals across the country.
“It will be recalled that before the commencement of hearing on the petition, I had expressed my reservations over the abilities of the Tribunal to dispense justice. I also requested that my petition be transferred to another panel based on my fears that Justice Adebisi, due to his close affinity with Sen Abaribe will not give me fair hearing.
“Unfortunately, the panel over-ruled me and went ahead to confirm my earlier fears by hastily dismissing my petition. The decision of the panel is totally unacceptable to me because I’m convinced that I defeated Sen Abaribe.
I have the confidence that I will reclaim my mandate which the good people of Abia South freely gave to me, “Onyeizu stated. He therefore called on his supporters to keep calm as he strives to reclaim their mandate.
