By Kamsi Anayo
The Appeal Court sitting in Lagos state on Friday affirmed Hon. Peter Udogala Anekwe as the duly elected member representing Anambra East and West Federal Constituency as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during Feb. 25 elections.
Anekwe of Labour Party (LP) had floored Hon. Chinedu Obidigwe of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) a second time after the winner was declared by INEC as duly elected by his people during the election.
Anekwe’s constituents took to the streets to jubilate his l victory both during the poll, tribunal and the appeal court.
The three-member of the Court of Appeal panel held that the amendment of notice of appeal filled by Obidigwe’s counsel, Arthur Obi Okafor (SAN) was filed out of time and the appeal was dismissed.
Upholding the judgement delivered by the Tribunal sitting in Awka Anambra state on Sept. 7, the three member panel Justices, Hon Justice yagata Nimpar from Plateau state, Hon. Justice Jamilu Yammama Tukur from Katsina state and Hon. Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari from Sokoto state dismissed the appeal for lack of merit.
Reacting, Anekwe appreciated the good people of the federal constituency for their continuous support and confidence reposed him.
He pledged his readiness to represent them affectively assuring that he would not take for granted the massive support of his people.
“To God Almighty be the glory for he has proven himself ever faithful. I knew I was going to win because the gap was too wide.”
Also speaking, the DG of Anekwe’s DG Macpee Campaign Organization, Sir Anthony Aniakor said shortly after the judgement was delivered that the victory was for the people of Anambra East and West Federal Constituency.
He described his victory as a well deserved one.
Aniakor advised the good people of Anambra East and West to remain committed in their unalloyed support to Anekwe, saying that he was the one who according to him is ever ready and committed to change the plight of his people for good.
It would be recalled that the National Assembly and State Assembly Election Tribunal holding at Awka, the Anambra state capital, had on Sept. 7, 2023, dismissed the petition filed by Obidigwe challenging the election of Aniekwe as the house member representing Anambra East & West Federal Constituency.
The petition marked: EPT/AN/HR/18/2023 joined the following as respondents: Aniekwe, Labour Party, INEC and the returning officer for the Federal House Election.
In their ruling, the honourable justices dismissed the petition on grounds of incompetency and lacking in merit citing inability of the petitioner to prove over voting in the complained polling units.
According to the ruling, “The petitioner has not been able to prove the allegation of over voting in polling units 004 & 007 Aguleri ward 1 as the serial mutilations on the said results which the petitioner admitted as polling units in his strongholds showed clear deliberate attempts to alter results of an election which has been concluded successfully.
This is also supported by the BIVAS report submitted as evidence”.
The honourable justices, however,
affirmed that even if all the over voting and the places where the petitioner claimed there was no election were still added to the votes of the petitioner the outcome will not affect the outcome of the election hence INEC was right to have declared Aniekwe as the winner of the elections.
