Shock as Imo tribunal nullifies Ugochinyere’s election

Outrage and shock, yesterday, greeted the decision of Imo State National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, which unseated Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, representing Ideato Federal Constituency.

The tribunal upheld the petition of Chika Abazu of All Progressives Congress (APC) on the ground that the primary election of People Democratic Party (PDP), which produced Ugochinyere as candidate, was invalid, and ordered a supplementary election in 55 polling units among the remaining candidates.
Ugochinyere was the Chairman, House committee on Petroleum Resources, downstream.

However, hundreds of Ugochinyere supporters have maintained that the judgment clearly amounted to upturning and setting aside the judgment of the Supreme Court.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Ugochinyere winner of the election with over 13, 000 votes, while Paschal Obi of Labour Party (LP) and Chika Abazu of APC finished second and third, respectively, with about 5000 and 2000 votes.

Emeka Ozoani, counsel to Ugochinyere, described the decision as shocking and unbelievable, saying: “I do not have any comments for now.”

However, when news of the judgment got to Ideato, enraged youths of the community began making bonfires and blocking roads with tree logs and leaves, insisting that Ikenga was their choice and must be respected by the courts. 

One of the protesters, Collins Obioha, maintained that Ugochinyere would ultimately emerge triumphant. He said: “The Court of Appeal, last week, in the Presidential election judgment in the Peter Obi case, declared that the issue of nomination of candidates is a pre-election matter and no election petition court has jurisdiction over such issues.

“Did the tribunal not hear that judgment? How come this tribunal has not only refused to follow the judgment, it sat on appeal over it and overruled it.”

In its judgment in SC/CV/501/2023, which was cited for the tribunal, the Supreme Court held that “A political party that files a suit to challenge the nomination of the candidate of another party will be a nosy busybody, a meddlesome interloper, peeping into the affairs of his neighbour without any backing in law. No court of law can entertain such a suit.”