The Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Chijioke Edoga, in the March 18 governorship election in Enugu State have expressed their dissatisfaction with the ruling of the Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
The tribunal had dismissed the LP’s petition, which aimed to challenge the victory of Governor Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state’s gubernatorial election.
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Kudirat Akano, issued a unanimous judgement, deeming the LP’s petition against Governor Mbah both incompetent and lacking in merit. Consequently, the entire grounds of the petition were dismissed.
One of the primary allegations within the LP’s petition centred on the claim that Governor Mbah had forged his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate. However, the tribunal ruled in favour of Governor Mbah on this particular issue.
“The NYSC certificate is not a qualification for anyone who wants to run for the office of the governor of the state as enshrined under Section 177 of the 1999 constitution. The academic qualifications required of any governorship candidate, as captured under Section 177 (d), is a school certificate, which has been interpreted under Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The NYSC discharge certificate is not a qualification as captured under the aforementioned section of the constitution and, therefore, cannot disqualify any person who has met the constitutional requirements and has been duly elected into the office of the governor of a state,” the tribunal held.
Despite dismissing several of the Labour Party’s (LP) contentions, the Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal did acknowledge one of the petitioners’ claims related to over-voting at specific polling units in Amagu Ugbawka, Nkanu East Local Government Area.
In response, the tribunal decided to annul the affected votes and subtract them from the overall tally of both contesting parties.
Consequently, this deduction resulted in Governor Peter Mbah’s vote count decreasing from 160,844 to 160,567, while Chijioke Edoga’s votes were reduced to 157,555.
Although the tribunal resolved the majority of issues in favour of the respondents, it ultimately deemed the petition by the LP and its candidate, Edoga, as lacking in merit and subsequently struck it down.
In response to the tribunal’s verdict, the LP and Edoga have expressed their disagreement with the decision and have vowed to challenge it by pursuing an appeal.
“We wish to convey the acknowledgment by the Labour Party and its candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, of the judgment as delivered at the tribunal, and to state our preparedness to challenge the outcome of this judgment at the Court of Appeal and to all extents as permitted by law,” Edeoga’s spokesman, George Ugwu, said in a statement.
However, Mbah applauded the Tribunal’s verdict, describing it as a victory for democracy and Enugu State.
He extended a hand of fellowship to the opposition candidates and their political parties, saying collective efforts were needed to build Enugu State.
