Imo: We’ll accept court decision says Ugorji, APGA Chieftain
By CHIDI OBINECHE
Friday, November 27, 2009

A chieftain of the All Progresive Grand Alliance, (APGA) Chief Tony Ugorji spoke with some Journalists in Lagos on the protracted legal tussle over the 2007 elections.
The Appeal Court is set to deliver judgment on the cancellation of the April 14, 2007 polls. The case is between Governor Ikedi Ohakim and Chief Martin Agbaso of APGA.
He says, his party will accept the decision of the court, whichever way it goes.

Excerpts:

Violence
What really happened was that what INEC described as violence was not violence at all.
INEC’s must have used that word for want of something better to say. It must have been a new kind of violence that chose to selectively attack one out of two election results that were processed at the same time and venues, by the same officials right from the polling booths level where votes were cast into the same ballot taxes provided for that purpose; through the ward collection centres and thereafter the local government collation centres.

Then the so called INEC violence visited the processed local government result sheets filed-in from 24 out of the 27 local governments in Imo State and selected only the gubernatorial results for attack. The local governments result sheets (INEC EC8Cs) selectively attacked by INEC ‘Mr. Violence’ however showed clearly that APGA’s Martin Agbaso was coasting home to victory with well over 70% of total votes cast.

A cursory look at the reasons for the cancellation as contained in the speech of the Imo REC and as published in the announcer Newspaper of that week clearly showed that nothing other than an order from above was responsible for the cancellation.
It is clear that someone very high-up in the INEC hierarchy or in the then Presidency did not like or could not stand the reality of Martin Agbaso of APGA becoming governor of Imo State and had to an order to the Imo REC from above to annul the gubernatorial votes cast for the said election in order to stop him.

The respondents (INEC, Ohakim) still cling to the earlier claim that the issues have been exhausted at the Owerri Tribunal and the Port Harcourt Appeal Court even where the court had ruled otherwise.

Pre-election and constitutional case
The Election Petitions Tribunal that sat at Owerri said it had no jurisdiction to deal with the post – election matter brought by Chief Martin Agbaso – the Port Harcourt division of the Court of Appeal simply affirmed the decision of the Election Petitions Tribunal and emphasised that the matter complained of was for another body but certainly not for an elections petitions tribunal. So Martin Agbaso returned to the regular courts by way of appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court which in the first instance directed him to the Elections Petitions Tribunal.

So the main kernel of his complaint to the Federal High Court on 19th of April 2007 has never been determined by any court. However the Court of Appeal has looked into the matter holistically and its decision is being awaited.
Prosecution of L.G bosses accused of murder
Your best bet is to interview those clearly mentioned by INEC in the said reasons for the cancellation, the respective DPO’S in the local governments mentioned, the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, as well as the Attorney-General of Imo State.

Missing pictures on voters’ register
The gubernatorial contests and the other elections, by our constitution were held among political parties. Individual candidates were mere standard bearers for their respective political parties; once a political party and or its logo are represented on the ballot paper, the standard bearer is in the contest and thereafter votes are cast for the parties. This is the essence of multi-party electoral contest.

Results of House members
It is not possible. The alleged events are not even enough to cancel the House of Assembly Results.
The manner of this purported cancellation or annulment of the gubernatorial results a day after the election, (15/4/2007) when a clear winner had emerged to the knowledge of every voter (in this era of GSM) underscores the large sympathy and growing support even from members of opposition parties to the cause of Martin Agbaso, for Imo people hate and despise injustice.

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