Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP), Lawmaker Representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency of Imo State, has said that he will challenge the ruling, which sacked him for being an invalid candidate, at the Appeal Court with strong confidence in the judiciary and the Appeal Court.
On Sunday, the Election Petitions Tribunal for the National and State House of Assembly elections in Imo State made a ruling to disqualify Ikenga Ugochinyere, a sitting member of the House of Representatives, on the grounds of his invalid candidacy for the Ideato North/South Federal Constituency election.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Ugochinyere said that he firmly believes that the Appeal Court will rectify the “injustice” done to him.
He said, “We are going to the Appeal Court to challenge this judgement which runs against the express provisions of the constitution and other enabling laws and judicial precedent that have been delivered recently.
“I’ll be asking them to reverse this injustice and reinstate the will of our people expressed at the general election that we won by landslide.”
Ugochinyere expressed his intention to reiterate the fundamental point that this is a matter preceding the election, and the primary was conducted due to security concerns.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the individual contesting against him from the APC secured the third position in the election and shamefully secured victory in just one polling station out of a total of 346.
He said that the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal Court, which convened in Mararaba, confirmed the election results of other House of Representatives members from Imo State, whose primary also took place at the same venue.
Therefore, it was surprising to him that when his case came up, new principles, lacking any established judicial precedent, were being introduced to prevent his victory.
“I have strong confidence in the judiciary and in the Appeal Court,” he emphasised, “and I hope strongly that this injustice will be reversed by the justices of the Appeal Court.”
Ugochinyere also brought up the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, stating that his “utterances, actions and fabricated charges” were all intended to prevent him from taking part in the election.
He said, “This thing would have been a very easy and peaceful process if not because of the interference of Uzodinma.”
Frances Ibiefo
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