Tension grips Enugu
…As governorship election tribunal delivers judgement
tomorrow
From KENNY ASHAKA, Kaduna
Thursday, January 17, 2008
 |
•Enugu
State Gov, Sullivan Chime
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
| |
Ahead of tomorrow’s judgement of the Enugu State governorship/legislative
election tribunal on the dispute arising from the April 17,
2007 governorship election in which Governor Sullivan Chime
was declared winner, tension has enveloped the capital city,
Enugu and several parts of the state.
Indications that the tribunal’s verdict would be known
on Friday several months after the legal battle over the April
2007 governorship elections conducted on April 14 and 28 in
the state, emerged on Wednesday when members of the tribunal
visited the Director of the State Security Service (SSS) to
request for more security at the Court of Appeal premises,
where the tribunal conducts its activities.
Five governorship candidates had gone to the tribunal seeking
for outright nullification of the election over alleged irregularities.
Those challenging the electoral victory of Chime include,
Chief Okey Ezea of the Labour Party (LP), Dubem Onyia of Action
Congress (AC), Oscar Egwuonwu of Democratic Peoples Party
(DPP), Ugochukwu Agballa of Accord Party (AP) and Nnamdi Anigbo
of Progressive People Alliance (PPA) and Fidel Ayogu of All
Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
But Ayogu later withdrew his petition, saying he had decided
to allow Chime to move the state forward.
Supporters of the various political gladiators are now full
of anxiety while their mentors have been having sleepless
nights since indication of the judgement day became rife.
The Justice Samuel Ottah-led tribunal had put the entire state
in disquiet suspense when it adjourned the matter indefinitely.
However, government sources flawed the procedure adopted by
the tribunal in hearing the petitions.
Onigbo the PPA candidate is praying the tribunal to nullify
the election on the ground that is name and party logo were
not included on the ballot paper by the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC).
Agballah, who had earlier alleged that the election was a
fraud and should therefore be nullified, turned around to
urge the tribunal to declare him winner of the election, while
Ezea, Onyia and Egwuonwu called for outright cancellation
of the poll on the ground that the election never took place,
alleging that the results upon which Chime was declared winners
were manufactured by INEC.
|
