Following the judgment for supplementary elections in some polling units across Abia North Senatorial District, former Governor of Abia State and Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has urged Abians not to lose hope, stressing that his mandate will be re-claimed at the Court of Appeal.
The National and State Assembly Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, Abia State, headed by Justice Cornelius Akintayo, gave the ruling yesterday.
The Chief Whip of the Senate and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) polled 30,203 votes to defeat Chief Mao Ohaubunwa of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 20,801 votes in the February 23, 2019 election.
While admonishing his supporters and members of the APC to remain strong, steadfast and law-abiding, Kalu said he would appeal the judgment.
He also expressed the confidence that the APC would always defeat the PDP in any election conducted in his senatorial district.
In a statement by his media office, the former governor noted that his victory was borne out of his popularity among the people, adding that justice could only be delayed but not denied.
Said Kalu: “Following the decision of the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, I will appeal the decision of the tribunal at the Court of Appeal. The PDP candidate, Ohaubunwa, is not popular among the people, and as such, my victory in the National Assembly poll was a landslide.
“Any day, any time, the APC will defeat the PDP in Abia North Senatorial District. At the appropriate time, my mandate will be restored,” he said.
Kalu expressed gratitude to Abians for their show of love and support before, during and after the 2019 general election.