The Imo State Peoples Democratic Party -PDP chapter has shunned the nullification of the elections of the members representing Ideato North/South and Okigwe South federal constituencies in the House of Representatives by the Imo State National/State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Mararaba, Nasarawa State. The members were Barrister Ikenga Ugochinyere and Honorable Jonas Okeke, respectively.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 13, by its Acting State Publicity Secretary, Mazi Emenike Nmeregini, the opposition party remarked that the two lawmakers won their February 25 National Assembly elections by a landslide victory.
The PDP had gone further to describe the ruling as a setback, pledging to ‘re-invigorate’ them at the Court of Appeal.
Nmeregini had said:
“It is unfortunate that without a reference to hindsight, the Tribunal based their judgments on pre-election matters that had previously been dismissed by courts of proficient jurisdiction.”
“The judgement from all intents and purposes, seem to be surrounded in barefaced illusion and mystery.
We however, respect and have complete confidence in the judiciary and expect that it will do what is necessary to justify the apparent diminishing image of the nation’s court of justice.”
“While we wait for the Appeal court to do the needful, our party wishes to caution our aggrieved members and electorate in ldeato North/South and Okigwe South Federal Constituencies, asking them to keep their calm as we expect that justice will take its die course in the respective cases very soon.”