Former Gov. Chimaroke Nnamani
ENUGU—Former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani and candidate
of the Peoples Democratic Change, PDC, for Enugu-East senatorial
district election last March 28, yesterday, asked the Appeal Court,Enugu
Division, to declare him winner, contrary to the verdict of the
National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal which ordered a fresh
election.
In a cross appeal brought before the three-man Justices of Appeal
Court led by Justice A.D Yahaya, Counsel to Nnamani, Ricky Tarfa, SAN,
prayed the appellate court to outrightly declare Nnamani winner since
the evidence of PW5 (Forensic Data Analyst) was relied upon by the lower
court to establish wide spread irregularities that substantially marred
the election.
“Since the evidence of PW5 was relied upon to order fresh election by
the lower court, we urge your lordships to declare Nnamani winner
having established irregularities of over voting, mutilation of results
to the detriment of his (Nnamani) result,” Tarfa urged the panel.
Counsel to Senator Gil Nnaji, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
Patrick Ikwueto, SAN, who appealed the judgment of the tribunal, urged
the court to dismiss the evidence of the PW5 and set aside the tribunal
judgment since the irregularities were not substantial enough to void
the outcome of the poll.
It would be recalled that the tribunal, led by Justice A. O. Adewara
of the Kwara High Court sitting in Enugu, had last October 13, ordered a
fresh election of the Enugu-East senatorial district within 90 days
following substantial irregularities wherein the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, allegedly colluded with PDP to inflate
results that gave Nnaji victory.
The Appeal Court however reserved judgment to a date that will be
communicated to parties to the suit even as the life of the appeal court
will elapse on December 9, following the 60 days duration prescribed
by the Electoral Act 2010 amended which starts running from the day of
the Tribunal’s judgment.
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