By: Shaft

The Governorship Candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the March 9, 2019, Guber elections in Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, has approached the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal with petition disputing the results of the governorship elections.

The said Petition was filed on March 29, 2019, by a 3-man team of legal representation comprising Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; A.J. Owonikoko, Esq. SAN; and Kenneth Ahia, SAN.

Sinnepts of information on the Petition named Alex Otti, as the1st Petitioner, and his political party APGA, doubles as the 2nd Petitioner.

Whereas the electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, Governor of Abia State; and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Respondents accordingly.

The 1st and 2nd Petitioners ostensibly were dissatisfied with the outcome of the elections results principally on the grounds of alleged acts of breach and non compliance substantially with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended); the Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections.

The essence of the Petition and the objectives of Petitioners are to seek redress by convincing the Tribunal to jettison the official results declared by INEC Officials in favour of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu and PDP as the winners of the elections. It is also the desire of the Petitoners the Tribunal declares the elections null and void.

Sources close to the Petitioners revealed the Petitioners believed strongly based on plethora of tenable evidence in their custody, March 9, 2019 Guber polls were technically inconclusive; abysmally compromised; and deliberately vitiated; in the end these alleged defects and acts of infractions/violations affected the purported outcome of the results declared by INEC.

Dr Alex Otti, and APGA, specifically faulted the electoral processes and the alleged compromised outcome in 788 Polling Units (PUs); 143 Electoral Wards; and 15 LGAs in Abia State. Amongst other serious issues of contentions, the Petitioners raised grave concerns on the shortcomings, credibility and integrity of the collations processes of the results, particularly in 15 LGAs. In these contexts, the Petitioners apparently were expressing concerns over issues of perceived abuse of the electoral procedures and processes.

The contentious 15 LGAs of the disputed results are: Aba North, Bende, Isiala Ngwa North and South, Isuikwuato, Obioma Ngwa, Ohafia, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Ukwa East and West, Umunneochi, Umuahia North and South.

The principal relief sought by the Petitioners jointly and severally are the nullification of the substantive results declared by INEC; and/or conduct of fresh elections in the Polling Units; Wards, and LGAs with daints and questionmarks allegedly.

At the time of filing this report, Abia Facts News, was unable to ascertain categorically if the Respondents have responded to the Petition before the Tribunal. Unconfirmed, unsubstantiated sources in the camps of the Respondents indicated the Respondents are apparently ready for the legal duel in the Tribunal.

Abia Facts News will continue to provide more information and regular updates on this particular Petition and other elections petitions as soon as the Tribunals begin to sit.