APGA Loses Petitions In Tribunal

The Enugu State Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal has thrown out five petitions filed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), challenging the Dec. 5, 2009 local government polls in the state.

APGA had challenged the elections in Nkanu East, Nkanu West, Enugu South, Udenu and Igbo Eze, all won by candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Dismissing the petitions, the three-member tribunal, presided over by Justice Eze Ugwu, said they were not signed.

In the case of Igbo Eze Local Government Council, the petitioner, Bernard Eze, had complained that the Chairman, Mr Christopher Omeje, was not a candidate of the PDP when the elections held.

Eze said the name of Omeje was not submitted to the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) before the Sept. 30, 2009 deadline and because of this he did not contest the elections under any party.

He also said that on the election day the candidate was not qualified since his name was not on the ENSIEC list.

The tribunal, while ruling on all the suits which were similar, upheld the submissions by respondents in the matter that the petitioners did not comply with the rules of the petitions by signing them.

Ugwu, therefore, struck them out.

However, the counsel to all the APGA candidates, Mr Chuma Oguejiofor, has indicated that he will appeal against the ruling.