The Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has reserved judgment in the petitions against the election of Governor Peter Mbah.
Honourable Justice Akano who led the tribunal, said it would communicate a date for judgment to the parties after counsels adopted their final written addresses on Wednesday.
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The candidate of the Labour Party, Barr. Chijioke Edeoga is challenging the return of the PDP’s governorship candidate, Peter Mba by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the March 18 governorship elections in the State.
While the petitioners (Barr. Edeoga and Labour Party) were present in court, the second respondent (Peter Mba) was absent in court on Wednesday.
INEC is the first respondent in the petition, Mr. Mbah and PDP are listed as the second and third respondents respectively.
Adopting his address, Peter Mbah’s counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, asked the court to dismiss the Petitions of the Labour Party for lacking in merit and a mere academic exercise.
Similarly, counsel to the Peoples Democratic party, Anthony Ani, SAN, contended that the argument of the petitioners are vague and lacking in evidence.
Adopting his final address, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, lead counsel to Labour Party and its governorship candidate, asked the tribunal to hold the position of his clients and grant the reliefs sought because it has been established beyond any reasonable doubt that Mr. Peter Mba was at the time of the election not constitutionally qualified to contest having presented forged certificate of national service to INEC.
Chief Adegboyega Awomolo further argued that Mr. Peter Mba of the PDP did not win the majority of lawful votes cast during the election as there was over-voting in polling units of Owo ward, Ugbawka ward 1 and 2, computational errors in Udenu Local Government Area, Enugu East, use of thugs to stall vote counting, non use of BVAS, substantial non compliance with the electoral act among other proven irregularities.
Daily Gazette recall that the electoral umpire, INEC had declared Peter Mba of the PDP winner of the keenly contested March 18 governorship elections in the state.
