Politics
Ezechi Triumphs Over APC’s Johnson Opone At Tribunal, Dedicates Victory To God
The State and National Assemblies Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba on Monday dismissed the petition filed before it by the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the February 25 House of Representatives election, Mr Johnson Opone, seeking to nullify the election of the PDP candidate, Hon Nnamdi Ezechi.
Opone and his party, APC, sought the relief, claiming that elections did not take place in the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency made up of Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West and Ukwuani Local Government Areas.
They called three witnesses who all alleged that no election took place in the Federal Constituency, which was contradicted by Chief Opone himself who said there were elections, but that he was contesting the result declared by INEC in Ukwuani LGA.
In a unanimous judgement read by Justice Nwankwo, the three-man Tribunal panel dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.
It ruled that the petitioners could not prove their case beyond reasonable doubt and awarded a N500,000 cost in favour of Hon Ezechi, INEC and PDP.
Speaking on the judgement, a legal representative of Hon Nnamdi Ezechi, Mr Chike Amudo, said it was based on the truth of the matter, insisting that the people of Ndokwa/Ukwuani voted massively for his client and it was a mere waste of time for anyone to challenge the outcome of the election.
In his reaction, Hon Nnamdi Ezechi, who represents the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, thanked God for yet another legal victory, having won the two previous cases seeking to nullify his election.
Hon Ezechi thanked the Judiciary for standing for the truth in all his cases and appreciated the State, Governor, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme and PDP for their support while the hearing of the petitions lasted.He also thank the Ndokwa people for their continuous support during and after the election.
Ezechi specifically thank the former Governor, His Excellency Sen Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa for his fatherly role and support always.
He said the petitions were unnecessary distractions but that he was convinced that they would not succeed because his mandate was divinely rooted and called on his opponents to join him to make the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency better.