Tribunal Strikes Out Senator’s Application

The Election Petitions Tribunal in Abakaliki has dismissed the application filed by Chief Paulinus Igwe-Nwagu asking the tribunal to strike out the petition challenging his election.

Igwe-Nwagu is the Senator representing Ebonyi Central Senatorial District.

In the application, Igwe-Nwagu prayed the tribunal to strike out the petition filed by Chief Innocent Ugo-Chima, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) candidate in the April 16 election, on technical grounds.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Henry Olusiyi, said the tribunal believed that it was not right to punish the party for the mistake in addressing the petition.

He said that the tribunal would not deny the petitioner justice, citing paragraph five B of the first schedule of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

“Having listened to the prayers of the parties, this honourable tribunal believes that it is not right to punish the party for the error in addressing the petition.

“This will deny them justice as this is only a misnomer,” he said.

Justice Olusiyi said “technicalities cannot be allowed to override justice”.

“We are abundantly satisfied that there is only one tribunal for the purpose of the said election and this is the tribunal and the parties are not in the wrong place.

“Therefore we have come to the conclusion that the defect in the address cannot defect justice. The application is hereby dismissed.”

He, therefore, adjourned the matter till Monday for further hearing.

Ugo-Chima in a reaction, described the ruling as wonderful, free and unbiased, adding that the judiciary had always done its best to enthrone true democracy in the country.