ABIA GUBER: COURT DISMISSES UCHE OGAH’S PETITION AGAINST GOVERNOR IKPEAZU
#AbiaOnline
Governorship Election petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia this morning dismissed the petition brought before it by Dr. Uche Ogah and the All Progressives Congress (APC) against Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and four other respondents.
In a ruling, the chairman of the panel, Justice A.L. Ogumoye dismissed the petition on the grounds that Uche Ogah and his men abandoned the petition by failing to activate the pre trial hearing process within the time stipulated by law. Justice Ogumoye held that the petitioners were deemed to have abandoned their petition having failed to activate the pre trial hearing process within the time stipulated by paragraph sub section four of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act.
Reacting to the judgment, one of the lawyers representing Governor Ikpeazu, Mr Uche Ihediwa and that of the PDP, Mr James Igwe (SAN) hailed the decision of the tribunal while council to Dr Ogah and the APC, Mr Godwin Chionye, said the position of the tribunal was based on law and will therefore not shift blame.
Meanwhile, the tribunal has fixed 19th of June to commence the trial of the petition filled by Dr. Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, against Governor Ikpeazu as the pre-hearing of the matter has been concluded.