The election of Dr. Okezuo Ikpeazu of People’s Democratic Party as governor of Abia State has been affirmed by The Election Petition sitting in Umuahia.
The tribunal dismissed the Petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last election, Chinenye Nyerere Anyim, for negligence in prosecution on the part of the petitioners.
Reports indicate that counsels for the respondents to the petition – Okezie Ikpeazu , the PDP and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) – had told the tribunal that neither the petitioner nor their counsels were in court even as there was no letter from either explaining their absence.
The cited relevant provisions of the electoral act to justify their position.
Livy Uzoukwu, representing the INEC, prayed the tribunal to apply the mandatory provisions of the relevant section of the law which he said mandated the tribunal to dismiss the petition because the petitioners failed to appear for the matter.
Counsel to PDP, Henry Balogu, also observed that the petitioners and their counsels were in court on the last day of the adjournment and were quite aware of the day’s sitting but deliberately chose not to be in court and urged the tribunal to strike out the matter.
Also, counsel to the 5th and 6th respondents, Mike Onyeka urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition since it was clear that the petitioners have lost interest in the matter.
Chairman of the tribunal, justice Usman Bwala while dismissing the petition cited relevant sections of the electoral Act which he said the petitioner failed to comply with in the prosecution of the matter.
