George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The bid by the son-in-law of the immediate past governor of Imo state, Uche Nwosu, to quash the election of Hon. Emeka Ihedioha at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Owerri suffered a setback on Friday as two lawyers Chief Okey Ehieze and Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) battled for who should represent the Action Alliance (AA).
While Akintola tried to convince the tribunal that he was representing Uche Nwosu and Action Alliance, Ehieze maintained that he was validly appointed by the party with a letter duly signed by the National Legal Adviser of the party.
“From the processes before this honourable Tribunal, it is very clear that I am not a gatecrasher. I was validly appointed, vide a letter dated May 27, 2019, and signed by the National Legal Adviser of the party, Anaukyaa Mnenge Peter Esq”, Ehieze told the Tribunal.
He also informed the Tribunal that he had a Motion on Notice he intended to move, pursuant to Paragraph 47 of the first schedule to the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended, and Order 9 Rule 15(1) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2009.
Ehieze also attached 15-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion, sworn to by the AA National Legal Adviser.
Part of the affidavit read: “To the best of my knowledge and belief, the second petitioner/applicant, which is a registered political party in Nigeria, was not consulted before the filing of this petition, wherein it was joined as the second petitioner.
“Incidentally, the first petitioner/respondent (Uche Nwosu), who contested the said election on the platform of our party, decided on his own to bring this petition without consultation or approval of the national body of the second petitioner (AA), when the second petitioner has no interest in taking part in any re-run election being sought by the first petitioner.
“The second petitioner is therefore surprised that its name is being used as a co-petitioner in this petition, without the agreement or even knowledge of the National Officers.”
He, therefore, urged the tribunal to grant the application “by striking out the name of the second petitioner/applicant, as sought”.
Reacting, Counsel to Governor Ihedioha and the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), and Prince Ken. C. O. Njemanze (SAN) respectively, urged the tribunal to hear Chief Ehieze’s Motion on Notice and take a decision on it, adding that it would go a long way to determining where to go from here.