11 Parties Battle Soludo At Anambra Election Petitions Tribunal
About 11 Political parties that participated in the Nov. 6 and Nov. 9 governorship election in Anambra have filed petitions challenging the outcome of the exercise.
Mr Surajo Gusau, Secretary of the 2021 Anambra Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal disclosed this to newsmen in Awka on Tuesday.
This was against expectations that the election and outcome would be a non contest for governor elect Prof Charles Soludo and his party the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
Gusau said the timeline for filing notice of petitions had elapsed.
He said members of the 3-man panel were expected to arrive Anambra following the filling of the petitions and that the fears that the panel would sit in Abuja was not correct.
This is against the backdrop that petitioners had appealed to the President of the Appeal to allow the tribunal sit in Awka as the cost and inconveniences of going to Abuja was enormous.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) with it’s candidate Sen. Andy Uba is among those who approached the tribunal for redress.
Also the Action Democratic Party ADP and it’s candidate Prince Afam Ume-Ezeoke in their petition prayed the tribunal for the nullification of the election on the grounds that the Bi- Modal Accreditation Verification System BVAS was not in the Electoral Act.
The Accord Party with its candidate Dr Godwin Maduka are calling for the nullification of the election on the ground of irregularities.
However, the duo of the People’s Democratic Party’s candidate Mr Valentine Ozigbo and Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressive Party YPP who emerged second and fourth in the election respectively did not petition the tribunal.
Meanwhile, Mr Ifeatu Obiokoye, Special Adviser to Gov Wille Obiano on Political Matters told reporters that APGA was not losing sleep over the petitions adding that a particular party was sponsoring some lesser political parties to go to tribunal.
Obiokoye said “our party APGA won the election and we are prepared to defend our mandate at thetribunal.
