Electoral Offences: Court Aquits Nwanosike, Sekibo, Others

A Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate Court, presided over by Andrew Jaja has discharged and acquitted three flag-bearers of the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the June 16 local government elections and 32 others of any wrongdoing during the re-run National and State Assemblies’ elections held last year.
The three PDP stalwarts, who were standing trail on the matter, include Hon Samuel Nwanosike, Roland Sekibo and Princewill Odiari, PDP flag-bearers for Ikwerre, Akuku-Toru and Asari-Toru LGAs for the June 16 elections.
They were standing trial before a Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate Court for allegedly committing electoral offences bordering on misdemeanour and constituting unlawful assembly during the 2017 legislative re-run elections at Ulakwo in Etche Local Government of the state.
The presiding Chief Magistrate, Andrew Jaja, in his ruling on the ‘no case of submission’ entered against the defendants in the matter brought by the Nigerian Police lawyers, struck out the entire case, and discharged and acquitted all the defendants for what he called ‘lack of witnesses’ from the prosecution.
According to him, the prosecution in the matter, Nigerian police called only one witness during the trial, adding that the inability of the police to call other witnesses as required by the law to substantiate their allegations against the defendants weakens the substance of their matter.
He noted that for that reason, the court could not be convinced by mere testimony of one witness to convict the accused persons.
Speaking to journalists after the ruling, counsel to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants, Wori Wori Esq applauded the ruling of the court, adding that the ruling was in line with their expectation.
He averred that the prosecution of his clients and all other defendants were mere political vendetta.
In their various speeches, Hon Samuel Nwanosike, Roland Sekibo and Princewill Odiari thanked God for the ruling, and described the judgment as victory for democracy.
They opined that the judiciary has again risen as the hope of the common man, adding that people can no longer be intimidated by the instrument of government institutions.
“We went to Etche legitimately as party agents as it was the responsibility of political parties to nominate who represent them in any election. Today, this ruling will serve as a lesson to all of us. We are happy and we dedicate the victory to our esteemed supporters in the PDP and God Almighty,” they said.
It would be recalled that Nwanosike, Sekibo and Odiari were among 38 persons arrested by officials of Nigerian Army at Ulakwo Etche during the February, 2017 Legislative re-run election, and later handed over to the Nigerian police for prosecution.