Abia PDP Candidate, Ahiwe Heads To Supreme Court To Nullify Governor Otti’s Election

Abia PDP Candidate, Ahiwe Heads To Supreme Court To Nullify Governor Otti’s Election

Okey Ahiwe, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Abia State during the last general elections, has taken his case to the Supreme Court seeking the nullification of the Court of Appeal’s ruling that upheld the election of Governor Alex Otti.

In the recent judgment, the three-man panel of the Court of Appeal in Lagos dismissed appeals brought before it by PDP’s Okey Ahiwe and All Progressives Congress (APC)’s High Chief Ikechi Emenike, challenging the validity of Otti’s election. The appellate court unanimously affirmed Otti’s victory, stating that it adhered to the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The court described the petitions from the appellants as lacking merit, likening them to a “comedy skit brought to a democratic setting.” It ruled that issues related to political party membership are pre-election matters within the jurisdiction of the political party.

Read Also Tinubu Appoints NCDMB Governing Council And Management Team (FULL LIST)

The Court of Appeal emphasized that Otti, having joined the Labour Party, won its primary election, and submitted his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was qualified to contest in the election.

Regarding the issues raised by the PDP and its candidate concerning the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the court stated that the appellants failed to establish a connection between their documentary evidence and specific aspects of the case.

In response to the judgment, the PDP, in a statement signed by its Acting State Publicity Secretary, Abraham Amah, urged its members and supporters to remain steadfast, calm, peaceful, and law-abiding.

Amah said, “The attention of the Abia PDP has been drawn to the judgment of the three-man panel of Appeal Court judges which sat in Lagos and upheld the decision of the Abia Election Petition Tribunal which had affirmed Alex Otti as the winner of the March 18, 2023 Abia governorship election following his declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“Following the judgment of the Appeal Court, the Abia PDP assures its members, numerous supporters across Party lines and the good people of Abia State to remain calm as the Party leadership is meeting with the governorship candidate and his running mate and the legal team to review the judgment of the Appeal Court and come up with the next line of action.

“Abia PDP uses this opportunity to reiterate its confidence in the Judiciary as the last hope of the common man and one of the strongest pillars of our democracy.

“We call on members of the PDP, our numerous supporters and sympathisers and the good people of Abia State to remain steadfast, calm, peaceful, law-abiding and put our hope and trust in God and in the Judiciary as we explore the options available to us.

“We also call on the good people of Abia who have been suffering under the bad policies of Alex Otti to know that the Party would never abandon them.”

Stay Updated With More News By Joining Our WhatsApp Group With The Link Below

https://chat.whatsapp.com/HbO11pwVPsL8tBHkSChpMe