AMOBI OGAH VS ONYEJEOCHA: Abia Labour Party Rejects Tribunal Judgement| SEE THEIR GROUNDS OF ARGUMENT
The Abia State Labour Party has rejected the verdict of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal which sacked their candidate, Hon. Amobi Ogah as the member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal constituency and returned Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha of the APC.
Rejecting the Wednesday ruling, the Labour Party, through its state chairman, Mr Ceekay Igara argued that the petition filed by Onyejeocha against Ogah is a pre-election matter and as such should not hold a ground at the tribunal.
Igara cited the National Assembly Tribunal verdict which returned Hon. Obi Aguocha of the Labour Party as the legal member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency and the presidential election petition tribunal that returned Bola Tinubu as the duly elected president of Nigeria respectively, on the same ground of pre-election matters.
According to the tribunal, pre-election matters are meant to be filed before the federal high court and not at the election tribunal.
“We vehemently reject this tribunal’s verdict on Hon. Amobi Ogah.
“It is still on the same ground of pre-election matter, that Hon.Obi Aguocha and Bola Tinubu were returned” Igara stated.
He queried why the tribunal would want to “delve into unnecessary issues” adding that the party and Ogah would discuss with their legal teams and decide on their next line of action.
“We will not accept it. We reject it in its entirety and we would certainly communicate our next line of action after speaking with our lawyers ” the Labour Party Abia State chairman added.
The three member panel of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia the state capital, nullified Ogah’s election on the grounds of non compliance with the electoral Act.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Amobi Ogah as the winner of the Isuikwuato /Umunneochi Federal Constituency election held on February 25, 2023 with a total vote of 11,769 against Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha of the APC, who is currently the Minister of State for Labour and Employment who polled 8,752 votes.
Onyejeocha had filed a petition with suit no. EPT/AB/HR/8/2023, contesting the declaration of Ogah as the winner of that election.
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