Abia North Senatorial Election: Tribunal Grants Kalu Leave To Inspect INEC Documents

The Abia state Election Petition Tribunal, for the National and State Houses of Assembly elections, which commenced sitting yesterday has granted former Abia state Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu the motion to inspect documents used for the conduct of the Abia North Senatorial election and another motion to enable him serve the first respondent, in the petition, Chief Mao Ohuabunwa by substituted means.The two motions , which were presented to the tribunal Chairman and members at the hall of the tribunal yesterday by a team of Lawyers, led by Senior Learned SAN , K.C.Nwafor Esq.,
represented by Barrister Perfect Okorie and Julius Emenke were granted by the tribunal Chairman Hon Justice M.B.Wakili. By granting of the first motion, it means that Kalu and his lawyers are now allowed to inspect all INEC documents used for the conduct of the Abia North Senatorial election , particularly the ballots papers and all the result sheets used in the election. Barr. Okorie who threw more light on the motions relevance said that it will enable them to know what actually transpired at the various polling units in Abia North Senatorial district during the exercise. “The application is a process, because from the inspection of the other documents , we can get to the area of the card reader. We are also going to request for them to produce those card readers used for the elctin so that what ever information that is in it would be assessed . It is a process which we have started for now,” Okorie said. He said further that forensic experts would be brought in to do their beat and that they were given seven days to commenece the inspectin of the INEC documents and that the seven days starts from the time they are served. “They gave us seven days to commence the inspection of those documents which we asked for and the seven days starts from any time they are served, but we are definitely going to serve them tomorrow. We have that opportunity to now begin to inspect the documents with our forensic experts,” Okorie explained. “The substituted service is also seven days, we will confer with the court bailiff to effect service,” he said adding that the matter was adjourned to the 14th day of May for mention. On his impression about the tribunal, Okorie said, “So far from the speech they made and from what we have seen, it will be a fair tribunal.' “They mentioned certain vital issues, for the good dispensation of justice. They said that no petition would be determined at the preliminary stages, it means all interlocutory applications for the determination of a petition would be taken during judgement, which means that ruling would be delivered on it. It also means that everybody would be allowed the opportunity to ventilate their grievances, you come and pour out your heart out, what you feel that you are not comfortable with during the election period You ventilate it and it will calm nerves and people would say, O! yes , am heard and justice would have been seen to have been done.'' He explained that the life span of a petition is 180 days, according to electoral act, adding; “and we know and hope that the way and manner the tribunal is going about it, they are going to do justice within that period of time allowed by the act.'' It could be recalled that Dr Orji Uzor Kalu contested the Senatorial Seat of the Abias North Senatorial district under Progressive Peoples Alliance PPA, while Chief Ohuabunwa Contested under Peoples Democratic party PDP. Other matters which were called up yesterday was that of Arochukwu /Ohafia Federal House of Rep. Candidate of All Progressive Grant Alliance APGA , Nnamdi Iro Orji and his Peoples Democratic Party PDP, counterpart, Nkole Ndukwe, Federal House of Rep. Candidate of APGA, Dr Ejike Orji and his PDP counterpart, Nkeiruka Onyejiocha, for Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency, APGA Senatorial Candidate for Abia North, Chief David Ogba Onuoha and PDP Chief Mao Ohuabunwa. The above petitioners were all represented by Barr. Chidozie Ogunji, Chairman of NBA, Aba , Abia state, who said that the tribunal granted him the prayer to serve all the respondents by substituted means. Another which was called up before going to the press was the petition of Sir Collins Chudi Onyeama against INEC and others. Onyeama was represented by L.U. Odumegwu.
(Chuks Onuoha, The Sun)