…..As Frank Nweke withdraws petition.
From Maurice Okafor. Enugu.
Palpable tension is growing in Enugu state over what is likely to be the outcome of the state governorship election petition tribunal.as the tribunal strenuosly concluded hearing on Barr.Chijioke Edeoga, the LP candidate against Gov. Peter Mbah, INEC and PDP on Sunday, July 16.
Also yesterday, the Justice M.K. Akamo led tribunal, granted the oral application of Mr Frank Nweke(jnr),the APGA candidate in the state governorship election.to discontinue with his petition against the declaration of Governor Mbah, as duly elected.
Mr Frank Nweke’s lead counsel,Prof. Race Achara told the tribunal that his client(Frank Nweke) has not much evidence to substantiate his suit.
Therefore,continuing with the petition will amount to wasting his precious time and that of the tribunal.
But unlike the APGA candidate,Mr Nweke, the LP’s candidate Barr.Chijioke Edeoga, is stretching beyond limit to convince the tribunal that he scored the highest number of eligible votes cast in the March 18.Enugu state governorship election.
Edeoga is claiming that there were over voting at some polling units in Owoh and Ugbawka communities both in Nkanu East local government area of the state, as against the number of accredited voters recorded in BVAS machines.
Also Edeoga through his lead counsels Justice Valerie Azinge(SAN) and Justice Emejesie(SAN) want to convince the tribunal that Governor Mbah should have been disqualified from participating in the election for submiting alleged forged NYSC certificate to INEC.
Checks revealed that over 30 witnesses who testified on behalf of Labour party(LP) were examined,cross examined and subponaed by different counsels of the respondents namely Governor Peter Mbah, PDP and INEC.
On their own part. the INEC. PDP and Gov. Mbah through his lead counsel, Alex Iziiyon,beyond every reasonable doubt tried to convince the tribunal that Barr. Edeoga is not a registered member of Labour party and should not have featured in the state governorship election. On that basis,he lacks the locus standi to challenge the declaration of Gov. Mbah by INEC as the winner of the March 18,state governorship election.
Governor Peter Mbah through his lead counsel, Alex Iziyon(SAN), told the tribunal that Gov. Mbah’s NYSC certificate was issued and signed by the organisation,with the certificate bearing correct emblems and appendages of the organisation.
Thet tribunal which has worked tirelessly till late hours on daily basis, in the past one week,will deliver it’s ruling on the various claims of the petitioner and respondents along side their judgement on a future date.
Before Barr. Edeoga closed his case at the tribunal yesterday, the All Progressives Congress(APC), Enugu state chapter and it’s candidate,Chief Uche Nnaji, lost in it’s bid to let the tribunal adjudge both Gov. Mbah(PDP), Barr. Edeoga(LP) and Mr Frank Nweke jnr (APGA) as not eligible and qualified to have participated in the state governorship election.
The APC prayed the tribunal to declare it’s governorship candidate Chief Nnaji,who came fourth in the election as the winner or order for fresh governorship election in Enugu state for APC and the other parties,excluding PDP, LP and APGA.
The tribunal had since struct out the APC and Chief Nnaji petition on the ground that it lacked merit.
It was gathered the APC have gone to Appeal Court to challenge the tribunal’s judgement in their petition.
It is noted that the PRP governorship candidate in the April 18 election, Elder Agu, a veteran journalist is also in the tribunal, arguing that Governor Mbah did not score the highest number of valid votes scored in the election.
However, it was observed that Elder Agu is not claiming that himself won the election, but want the tribunal to believe that their were lots of irregularities and that the results were deliberately manouvered to favour Governor Peter Mbah.
