By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the nullification of the elections of members representing Ideato North/South and Okigwe South federal constituencies in the House of Representatives, Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere and Hon Jonas Okeke, respectively, by the Imo State National/State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

A statement issued on Wednesday by its Acting State Publicity Secretary, Mazi Emenike Nmeregini, the opposition party said the two lawmakers won their elections by landslide in the February 25, 2023 National Assembly polls.

The PDP also described the verdicts as a setback and vowed to upturn them at the Court of Appeal.

The statement read, “It is with deep reservations and reprehension that the lmo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, received the news of the nullification of elections of Rt Hon. Barr. Ikenga lmo Ugochinyere lkeagwuonu (representing Ideato North and South), Rt Hon Jonas Okeke (Okigwe South) respectively by the lmo State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Mararaba, Nasarawa state. The decision of the Tribunal in these cases is highly condemnable and regrettable.

“The two proactive Lawmakers won landslide in the February 25, 2023 National Assembly election as members of the House of Representative, representing their respective constituencies in the state.

“As a responsible and responsive political party, the verdict of the Tribunal, smacks of huge surprise, considering the preponderance of potent evidence in facts and figures, tendered before it to justify results of the elections. The eventual decisions of the Learned Justices will definitely leave sour taste in the mouth of electorate in the constituencies.

“It is unfortunate that without reference to hindsight, the honourable Tribunal hinged their judgments on pre-election matters that have earlier been dismissed by courts of competent jurisdiction.

“This also, is in disregard to the fact that the matter is purely internal party affairs and as such can only be raised by a member of lmo PDP and not non PDP member. The verdicts from all intents and purposes, seem to be shrouded in barefaced illusion and mystery.

“The lmo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party views the separate judgements as setback to our nation’s judiciary, and as well rejects in its totality these laughable exercise of crudity. The party shall without equivocation stand against this position of the Tribunal until it reverses this judgement that will continue to torment our legal jurisprudence.

“We respect and have absolute confidence in the judiciary and expect that it will do the needful to redeem the seeming diminishing image of the nation’s temple of justice.

“While expecting the Appeal court to do the needful in no distance time, our party therefore calls on our aggrieved teeming members and electorate in ldeato North/South and Okigwe South Federal Constituencies to keep their calm as we expect that justice will take its normal course in the respective cases very soon.”

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