Chinedu Onyeizu, the candidate representing the Labour Party (LP) in the Abia South senatorial district during the 2023 elections, has expressed his determination to challenge the dismissal of his petition by the Election Petition Tribunal.
The tribunal, which convened in Umuahia, ruled against Mr. Onyeizu’s petition on the grounds that he failed to comply with the requirement of pre-trial application as outlined in the first schedule of the Electoral Act 2022.
Mr. Onyeizu had approached the tribunal in an effort to contest the victory of Eyinnaya Abaribe from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Friday, Mr. Onyeizu expressed his dissatisfaction with the tribunal’s decision. He remarked, “Despite my earlier request for the re-assignment of the case being denied, I was not caught off guard by the tribunal’s ruling.”
The LP candidate expressed that verifiable records clearly indicated that all three respondents were duly served with the pre-trial notice, with INEC acknowledging receipt while the remaining parties failed to do so. The LP candidate stated their intention to elevate the matter to the Court of Appeal, relying on divine intervention, and expressed their hope for the court to transfer their case file to a different panel to ensure a fair evaluation based on its inherent merits. The LP candidate emphasized the significance of the judiciary as the ultimate recourse for the ordinary citizens and voiced their expectation that justice would prevail in their favor.
Georgina Ugwuanyi, the designated Returning Officer overseeing the district election, officially pronounced Mr. Abaribe as the victorious candidate with a total of 49,903 votes, securing his position at the top. Meanwhile, Mr. Onyeizu claimed the second position with a commendable 43,903 votes, putting up a strong showing in the race.
With utmost reliance on divine grace, I am embarking on the next stage of legal recourse by proceeding to the esteemed Appeal Court. I hold firm anticipation that the court will direct the transfer of my case file to a fresh panel, thereby facilitating a fair and unbiased assessment of my case purely on its intrinsic merits.
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