The National Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Enugu State, on Saturday dismissed the petition against the election of Dr. Chukwumeka Ujam as the lawmaker representing Nkanu-East/Nkanu-West Federal Constituency.
In a judgement delivered by Justice Bello Abba Muhammed of the FCT High Court, the tribunal threw away all the grounds raised by the petitioner.
Mr. Nnoli Nnaji of the People for Democratic Change, PDC, had approached the tribunal praying for the cancellation of the election result on the grounds that the respondent was wrongfully nominated by his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and that the exercise was marred by irregularities.
However, in its verdict, the tribunal maintained that it was not the duty of the petitioner to decide for another party how it conducts its primary elections.
The tribunal, dismissed that Peace Nnaji was the rightful candidate of the PDP in the election, saying he had no right to question another party’s process of nominating its candidate.
On the issue of irregularities and recovery of voters’ cards during the election, the tribunal held that even if it would accept that such happened, it was not within its jurisdiction.
The Panel added that the petitioner did not prove whether the alleged incident affected the result, adding that he did not show whether the cards belonged to the constituents, and as such “you cannot build something on nothing.”
It consequently awarded the sum of N50, 000 in favour of the four respondents.
Meanwhile, Comrade Henry Chibuzor, who spoke on behalf of Ujam said, “the judgement has finally laid to rest the whole issues surrounding the emergence of Chukwuemeka Ujam as the member representing Nkanu East and West.
“The mandate as given by the people has been affirmed by the judiciary; it also goes further to explain that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man”.
On the way forward, he said, ” for us, we don’t think there are grievances here, this is politics and in politics there must be squabbles, there must be dissenting voices, you don’t expect that everybody will go your way.
“But with this judgement,we are also opening our doors, asking as many people who are on the other side to come and join the train, the earlier the better; they should put down every negative agitation, this a time to build Nkanu East and West, the people are not interested in how many years you spend in court but the development you are able to attract, we are calling on all to join hands with us”.
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