Appeal court upholds Okorocha, Kalu’s election

Owerri Division of the Court of Appeal yesterday upheld the elections of a former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, as the senator representing Imo West Senatorial District. The chairman of the panel, R. A. Ada, who read the judgment, dismissed the appeals filed by Senator Osita Izunaso of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) […]

Owerri Division of the Court of Appeal yesterday upheld the elections of a former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, as the senator representing Imo West Senatorial District.

The chairman of the panel, R. A. Ada, who read the judgment, dismissed the appeals filed by Senator Osita Izunaso of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Jones Onyereri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Okorocha’s election, saying the appeals lacked merit. The judge said the judgment of the tribunal, which upheld Okorocha’s election, was in order.

The panel said the petitioners could not prove their allegations of violence, over voting, mutilation of electoral results and hijacking of electoral officers against the respondent.

He said the petitioners could also not prove the allegation of duress as alleged by the returning officer of the election.

Okorocha, who applauded the decision, said he dedicated the victory to his two rivals.

Similarly, the Court of Appeal in Owerri yesterday affirmed Oji Uzor Kalu as the winner of the February 23 election in Abia North Senatorial district.

The chairman of the panel, R.A Ada who read a unanimous decision, flayed the lower court for ordering a rerun in some electoral wards in Abia North.

The jurist said that the premise in which the Elections Petitions Tribunal cancelled Orji’s victory was unknown to law.