From Fred Itua, Abuja
Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last November 11 governorship election in Imo state Senator Nathan Achonu has vowed to pursue his case against the Tribunal’s verdict in favour of Governor Hope Uzodinma to a logical conclusion, even if it means up to the Supreme Court.
At a press conference on Sunday in Abuja, Achonu said he received the judgment of the Imo State Election Petition Tribunal with so much sadness and disappointment.
He said: “The Tribunal had in its Judgment dismissing my petition stated that I was unable to prove that there was substantial noncompliance with the Electoral Act in the conduct of the 11th November 2023 Imo State Governorship Election.
“According to the Tribunal, my inability to prove that there was substantial noncompliance with the Electoral Act in that election, stemmed from my nonproduction of the BVAS Machine before the tribunal.
“Let me emphasise that this judgment has not in any way whittled down my belief in democracy and the judicial process of our dear country, Nigeria, it has rather, unlike the past ones, emboldened me to insist on the right thing being done, enough is enough!
“I will do everything legally possible to challenge the judgment on Appeal up to the Supreme Court. I am very optimistic that justice will be served in the long run because there are still there are still upright, courageous and incorruptible justices in our Judiciary.
“Furthermore, I am going to seek an order of Mandamus compelling the Attorney General of the Federation to proceed against the several INEC officers and Collation/Returning Officers who have been guilty of electoral offences and are walking the streets free while Nigerians are wallowing in poverty and insecurity which was occasioned by their acts.
“During the build-up to the November 11 governorship election, insecurity was used to unleash terror and brutality on political opponents.
“I narrowly escaped assassination from his men who tried to stop me from attending the church program at Obibiezena in Owerri North LGA.
“We defied all those terror and intimidation to campaign in the entire 27 LGAs and 305 wards including Omuma, Hope Uzodinma’s Ward and hometown.
“Then after taking all these risks and mobilizing people to come out and vote, he thinks he can steal their votes and mandates with connivance with INEC and now tribunal. It will not happen! Never! we will not allow that to stand.
“I am going to pursue this my case up to the Supreme Court, to recover our people’s mandate and I strongly believe that the final outcome will strengthen our electoral jurisprudence.”
He said besides the fact that the production of the BVAS Machine before the tribunal was the responsibility of INEC both as a party to the petition and as a public institution, he had endeavoured to ensure that the BVAS was brought before the tribunal by obtaining an order from the same tribunal compelling INEC to produce the BVAS Machine before the tribunal.
“However, INEC brazenly refused to abide by the Order of the same Tribunal directing it to produce before it the BVAS machine.
“It may interest you to note that the same INEC had prior to the commencement of the hearing of my petition before the tribunal refused to grant access to Labour Party accredited Inspectors to inspect the BVAS Machine in line with an order of the same Tribunal. This is regardless of the fact that INEC had extorted from me millions of naira purportedly as a deposit for the cost of the inspection of BVAS machine. The said inspection never held, and INEC has held onto the money. Interestingly the Tribunal did neither comment on this INEC’s misfeasance nor sanctioned INEC for flaunting its Order which was tantamount to contempt in facie curiae (contempt in the face of the court),” he alleged.
INEC on his part, said it never took any money from the candidate, challenging him to provide the bank accounts he paid into or name the officials he paid.
Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi said it is not in the character of INEC to “extort” individuals.
Oyekanmi said: “It is not in the character of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to extort individuals.
“Our process is clear: if an individual requests for a document under the Freedom of Information Act or as a Petitioner, and there are necessary fees to be paid, the sums are disclosed and the individual pays into the account of the Federal Government of Nigeria, not a personal account.
“If the senator made any payment into any personal account, I want to encourage him to publicly disclose it and also make the name(s) of the account holders available to us for immediate investigation. We are not in the business of extortion Nigerians.”