The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, Abia State, has dismissed petitions brought before it by the Peoples Democratic Party and its 2023 government candidate, Chief Okey Ahiwe. The tribunal, while ruling on the petitions on Friday, October 6, 2023, at the Federal High Court, Umuahia, upheld the election of Dr. Alex Otti as the Governor of the state.

Otti, recorded a landslide victory in the March 18, 2023 governorship election and was returned by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC). But PDP approached the tribunal seeking to upturn Otti’s victory. But their mission has hit the rock as the tribunal has affirmed that Otti was duly elected as Governor of Abia State

Dismissing the petitions by PDP and its candidate, Ahiwe, the three-man panel, chaired by Justice H.T.D. Gwadah, in a unanimous judgement, held that on the issue of whether Dr. Otti was qualified to contest the election, that the arguments of the petitioners were pre-election matters which the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to entertain.

The tribunal also held that the petitioners failed to provide evidence on the allegation of forgery of NYSC certificate they leveled against Dr. Otti and could therefore, not prove their case, while noting that NYSC was also not a factor for qualifying or disqualifying a candidate.

The Panel Insisted that no witness called by the petitioners spoke on documents tendered to prove their allegation of over voting, which made the documents to be of no value, just as the petitioners failed to prove their claim that the result of Obingwa Local Government Area was taken to Abuja where it was allegedly doctored before it was brought back to Abia to be declared.

The court also ruled that the petitioner (PDP) does not have evidence and could not prove its case against the first respondent (LP) over corrupt practices and irregularities during the election.

Meanwhile, reactions have continued to trail the tribunal’s ruling. While the Labour Party Chairman in the state, Ceekay Igara, has hailed the judgement, the Abia PDP rejected it while the PDP candidate, Ahiwe, has called for calm.

As the Labour Party Chairman in Abia State, Mr. CeeKay Igara, described the judgement as a reflection of the will of the people who overwhelmingly voted for Dr. Otti, Ahiwe is urging his supporters to remain calm and law-abiding; his party said it would appeal the verdict.

Ahiwe’s statement endorsed by his Media Adviser, Victor Nwokocha, reads: “The Abia State Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections, Chief Okey Ahiwe, has reacted to the verdict of the Abia State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, which, in its judgment today, upheld the declaration of Dr. Alex Otti as the duly elected Governor of Abia State in the March 18, 2023 Governorship and House of Assembly Elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Reacting to the Tribunal verdict, Chief Ahiwe expressed profound appreciation to his numerous supporters, his legal team, family, friends and associates, emphasising that ‘there is no cause for alarm regarding the Tribunal verdict as truth and justice will ultimately triumph.’

“While expressing unblemished confidence in the Judiciary, he said that his legal team would thoroughly examine the judgment of the Tribunal and advise accordingly on the next line of action.

“Chief Ahiwe called on his teeming supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring that, following due consultations with his legal team and leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, he would keep them informed on the direction to take.”

On the other hand, the PDP said it rejected the tribunal’s verdict in its entirety and would head to the Appeal Tribunal.

“The Abia PDP listened to the judgement delivered by the 3-man Abia State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which upheld the victory of Alex Otti as the governor of Abia State following the March 18, 2023 governorship election and rejects it in totality,” the party said in a statement signed by its Zonal Vice Chairman and Acting Publicity Secretary, Elder Abraham Amah.

“Having rejected the judgement, the Abia PDP has conferred with our team of excellent lawyers and based on our understanding that the learned justices erred, we are appealing the judgement as a means to correct the wrongs by the election tribunal,” PDP said.

But Counsel to the petitioners, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwaogu, was not categorical on the definite action of his clients, saying they would study the judgement and decide on the next line of action with their clients, in line with the provisions of the law.