The Court of Appeal Sitting In Abuja has upheld the decision of the National Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja,which struck ou some paragraphs of the Petition filled by Hon.Otelemaba Dan Amachree against the Electoral victor of Senator Osinakachukwu Ideozu of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the March 28th National Assembly election for Rivers West Senatorial District
Recall that The tribunal sometime back ,while considering the preliminary objections brought by the PDP Lawyer Mr. Obla (SAN) struck out all paragraphs in the petition where Hon.Otelemaba Dan Amachree claimed that the security agencies and some thugs loyal to PDP intimidated and harassed voters and agents working for the All Progressive Congress(APC) thereby facilitating the electora victory of Senator Osinakachukwu Ideozu of the PDP.
PUO REPORTS Learnt that the objection filled by the counsel to the PDP included a request that the election petition be dismissed based on several other grounds, but that request was not granted. Both parties went on appeal against the ruling. For Otelemaba Dan Amachree and the APC the paragraphs struck out by the Election petition Tribunal should remain while for Senator Osinakachukwu Ideozu and the PDP the entire petition should have been dismissed. The Court of Appeal simply upheld the decision of the Tribunal and dismissed both appeals of the PDP and the APC.
With the decision of the Court Of Appeal, Hon.Otelemagba Dan Amachree and the APC can no longer talk of the role of thugs and security agencies when defending their petition. They will now need to show instead how Senator Osinakachukwu Ideozu didn’t score majority of the lawful votes (without alluding to the adverse roles of any thug and security agent or agency).
One of the factors which may likely affect the Petition of the APC candidate for Rivers West Senatorial District Election Hon.Otelemagba Dan Amachree is the fact that the 180days as stipulated in the electoral act is dancing a dangerous music on their head,even when his petition is yet to scale through the PRE-TRIAL Stage
