Abia North election petition: Aba residents laud Appeal Court’s judgment on Kalu’s petition

FROM: OKEY SAMPSON, ABA

Residents of the com­mercial city of Aba, Abia State have lauded the judgment delivered last Friday by the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, upholding the appeal of former governor of the state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu over the re­fusal of the Abia Election Peti­tion Tribunal sitting in Umuahia to admit in evidence the list of accredited voters regis­ter of Abia North senatorial zone, in his case against Mao Ohuabunwa of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) who was declared winner by the In­dependent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Tribunal’s refusal was despite the fact that Dr. Kalu obtained a certified true copy of the document which was duly signed by the head of ICT and the deputy director, legal depart­ment of INEC which prompted the petitioner to approach the Appeal Court in suit no CA/ETP/27/2015.

Ruling on the suit, Hon Jus­tice I.G Mbaba dismissed the Tribunal’s decision, saying since the document in question was duly signed by those in posses­sion of its original copy, it was admissible in evidence. The court thereafter awarded N50, 000 as cost in favour of the pe­titioner. Reacting, residents of Aba commended the judgment of the Court of Appeal, saying it was a sign of good things to come to the state which they said had suffered a lot of neglect in the past 8 years of PDP rule.

Chibuike Achu, a commer­cial bus driver who plies the Ohafia/Aba route and who ini­tially thought the Court of Ap­peal judgment was the final in the legal fireworks between the former governor and PPA candi­date in the last senatorial election and Ohuabunwa of the PDP said he was happy over the court’s judgment because Abians never voted for PDP in the last elec­tion. “We are happy and in ju­bilant mood over last Friday’s judgment of the Court of Appeal in Owerri because we know we did not vote for PDP in the state during the last election. For­get about those INEC declared as winners. “We are equally happy that the courts are trying to correct the mistakes made by INEC in announcing some of the results the way they did, and our man’s (OUK) case is the beginning of the good things to come.”

Sam Onwukwe, a trader said despite the fact the Kalu did not contest the election in Abia South senatorial zone, every resident of Aba would want him to go to the senate notwithstand­ing from which zone because of what he did in the city when he was governor. “Aba residents will not forget in a hurry what Dr. Kalu did for the city when he was governor. Not minding from which zone he contested the election, Kalu is the type of per­son Ndigbo needs at the senate; not those bench warmers. That is why we are happy about the Appeal court’s judgment. “We know what happened during the election. If not for his de­tractors most of whom he made politically who turned the table against him, Kalu could have been in the Senate by now. But we are happy the Tribunal has started righting the wrongs of INEC and the peoples’ choices are beginning to take their right­ful seats.”

Some people who were discussing the Appeal Court’s judgment at a popular joint on Market Road said they were not surprised at the decision, because kalu was the peoples’ choice, but only that those he made po­litically who found themselves at the corridors of power in the last dispensation, never wanted him for selfish reasons to go to the senate. They however expressed optimism that the peoples’ will would prevail at last. “We know that OUK was not going to rep­resent Abia South (where Aba) falls in the Senate, but we are interested in his going there be­cause he will represent the inter­est of Ndigbo and that is why we are happy with that judgment”, they said. The residents poured encomiums on the Justices of the Owerri Appeal Court, say­ing with the judgment; they have restored peoples’ confidence in the judiciary which they said was the last bastion of hope for the common man. The people equally commended President Mohammadu Buhari for giv­ing the judiciary especially the Election Petition Tribunals free hand to operate, stressing that this would not only ensure that justice was done in all the mat­ters, but seen to have been done.

Those who spoke to Sunday Sun said despite the evil machi­nations of Kalu’s political op­ponents, they were looking on to the day he would be inaugurated as a member of the 8th senate.