• Calls for arrest of Kenneth Udeze, others
From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
The Action Alliance (AA) has declared that the judgement of the Lagos division of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed its appeal against the judgment of the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Abia State was not based on merit.
The party said the Appeal Court judgment delivered on Thursday was based on technicality and not merit of the case.
Reacting to the Appeal Court judgment which dismissed its appeal against Hon Benjamin Okezie Kalu, the National chairman of the AA, Dr Adekunle Rufai Omoaje said the judgment was dismissed due to the specified date required by law to file the appeal which was affected by the withdrawal of the suit by one Kenneth Udeze and Ifeanyi Chukwuka Igbokwe without the knowledge of the leadership of the party.
Omoaje alleged that Udeze and Igbokwe who are not members of the party went ahead to withdraw the party’s petition without the consent of the party’s leadership, hence the delay suffered in filing the appeal.
He called on the police and the Department of State Services to investigate Udeze, especially the roles he played in the petition filed by the AA in the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Abia State.
The AA national chairman also encouraged law enforcement agencies to find out why Udeze acted illegally and prosecute him accordingly in the interest of fairness, justice and equity.
It would be recalled that the Action Alliance had challenged the victory of Hon Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Bende federal constituency election.
Kalu who is the current Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives had emerged winner of the election but his victory was challenged at the Elections Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.