Alpbonsus Nweze
The member representing Anambra East and West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chief Udogala Anekwe,has dedicated his victory over Chinedu Obidigwe of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) at the National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal to the people of the Federal Constituency.
Speaking to newsmen in elation over his victory, the legislator said he would not treat with scant regard the massive support accorded him by the people of the Federal Constituency during the election and as the election petition lasted.
He thanked God who he said was behind his victory at the Election Petition Tribunal which sat at Awka, the Anambra State capital.
“To God be the glory who has proven himself faithful by giving me victory. I knew I was going to win because the gap was too wide,” said Anekwe who is popularly called Macpee.
In the petition marked: EPT/AN/HR/18/2023. Anekwe, Labour Party, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Returning Officer for the Federal House Election on February 25, 2023.
In the judgement, Tribunal dismissed the petition on grounds of incompetence and lacking in merit, citing inability of the petitioner to prove over voting in the complained polling units.
“The petitioner has not been able to prove the allegation of over voting in polling units 004 and 007 Aguleri ward 1 as the serial mutilations on the said results which the petitioner admitted as polling units in his strongholds showed clear deliberate attempts to alter results of an election which has been concluded successfully. This is also supported by the BEVAS report submitted as evidence.”
Members of the panel include:
Hon. Justice S.Y Abubakar.
Hon. Justice I. O Akinkugbe.
Hon. Justice B.M Kucheri.
They insisted that even if all the over voting and the places where the petitioner claimed there was no election were still added to the votes of the petitioner the outcome will not affect the outcome of the election, hence INEC was right to have declared Peter Aniekwe as the winner of the elections.
