The three parties challenging the election of the governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, will on Sunday adopt all their written addresses as they close their submissions before the tribunal. Ifeanyi Araraume of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Uche Nwosu of the Action Alliance (AA) and Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have approached the Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal asking it to set aside the election of Ihedioha of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Nwosu, in his submission, through his counsel, Niyi Akintola (SAN) asked the tribunal to nullify Ihedioha’s election on the ground the election was massively rigged in the three local government areas of Aboh, Ahiazu and Ezinitte Mbaise local government areas where he alleged that Ihedioha allotted votes to himself.
He also alleged that the Ihedioha failed to obtain the constitutional one quarter of the votes in at least three-thirds of the 27 local government areas of the state. Specifically Araraume is asking for an order to void the certificate of return issued to Ihedioha on the grounds that there were massive irregularities in the election. He averred, through his counsel, Awa Kalu (SAN) that all the score and votes from the three local government areas, including Ehime Mbano and 17 others were unlawful.
He also alleged that there was unexplained change of electoral officers at the last minute by the electoral umpire, and massive hijacking and diversion of electoral materials. In his own submission, through his counsel, Olushola Oke (SAN), Uzodinma is asking the tribunal to declare him the winner of the election having polled majority of the votes cast in the election and also satisfied the mandatory constitutional spread of one quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 27 local government areas of the state.
He said that the vets he garnered from 388 polling units spread across the state were fraudulently excluded, which gave Ihedioha an advantage.
The tribunal had fixed Sunday, September 8, at 4 pm for the adoption of all the written addresses.
DAILYTRUST
