Ben Ezechime, Enugu
A Labour Party stalwart in Enugu State, Hon. Uche Onah, has asked the party’s supporters in the State not to lose sleep over the judgment delivered by the Enugu State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu that upturned the election of Hon Chijioke Okereke of LP.
Okereke was earlier announced as the winner of Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency in the February 25, National Assembly Election.
However, the tribunal on Saturday September 9, nullified Okereke’s victory on the grounds that he was not duly nominated by the Labour Party.
Reacting to the judgment, Hon. Onah noted that Okereke was duly nominated by the party and elected by the people of the constituency.
According to him, the Federal High Court had earlier ruled on who was the rightful Candidate for Labour Party before the election.
“The Federal High Court had ruled that Chijioke Okereke was the duly nominated candidate for Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency in the last February 25, National Assembly Election.
“So, I wonder how the tribunal decided that he was not duly nominated, in spite of the fact that the people in Aninri/Awgu/Oji River constituency rejected PDP and Anayo Onwuegbu at the Polls,” he said.
He noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Enugu had approached the Tribunal to explain that, why Okereke’s name was not on the ballot paper was because of the late ruling at the Federal High Court.
According to him, the ruling came after the printing of the voting materials for the election.
In his words: “This injustice will not stand as Anayo Onwuegbu’s victory will be corrected by the Appeal Court.”
He called on LP faithful in Enugu State to continue in prayers, saying that Okereke remained the candidate that his name appeared in INEC website.
“Therefore there is no cause for alarm. Okereke will surely bounce back,” he said.
