Human rights lawyer seeks Obiano’s disqualification as APGA candidate

 

ONITSHA — The Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, presided over by Justice Isah Gafai, is today expected to deliver judgment in the suit filed against Governor Willie Obiano, by a human rights lawyer based in Onitsha, Jezie Ekejiuba, seeking to disqualify and nullify Obiano’s

election over alleged submission of false voter’s card along with his application to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for participation in the November 16, 2013   Governorship election in the state.

Justice Gafai had after hearing and adopting the submissions and written addresses of both the plaintiff, Ekejiuba who stood in for himself and counsel to Obiano, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), adjourned sine-die, explaining that the judgment date would be communicated to parties as soon as the judgment was ready for delivery.

On November 18, the court summoned both parties to come for possible  judgment on Thursday, November, 20 at 1 p.m. On November 20, Justice Gafai said he spotted a pending motion filed by Ekejiuba, seeking an order of the court to compel INEC to produce the certified true copies of the three voters cards obtained by Obiano on different dates with different numbers, which INEC failed to produce in court, noting that judgment could not be delivered while the motion was still pending in court.

Ekejiuba now applied for the motion to be struck out based on the fact that it was no longer relevant in the matter since he was able to travel to INEC headquarters, Abuja and obtained the documents directly which he tendered before the court during the proceedings.

Justice Gafai struck out the motion and promised to communicate a judgment date to both parties, as soon as the judgment was ready to be delivered.

The court eventually communicated to them on Monday, December 8 that the judgment was ready to be delivered on Wednesday, December 10.

Ekejiuba had dragged Obiano, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukogu, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to court asking for the disqualification of Obiano as the candidate of APGA and the nullification of his election of November 16 and 23, 2013 because he gave a false information by submitting a false Voter’s Card in his INEC’s Form CFOO1 with a sworn affidavit, contrary to Section 31 (1) to (6) of the amended Electoral Act, 2010.

- Vanguard News