Lawyer files petition at Abia LG Poll Tribunal amid IPAC ban

A chairmanship candidate in the November 2, 2024, Local Government election in Abia state, Chief Emenike Azubuike, a lawyer and his African Democratic Congress (ADC) party, have filed a petition at the State Council Election Petitions Tribunal.

Their petition, however, contravened the ban imposed by the state Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the umbrella body of political parties in the state including the ADC, which barred the contestants and their political parties from challenging the election outcome.

This decision was based on the agreement IPAC signed with ABSIEC and the security agencies that all parties would accept the outcome of the poll unchallenged.

The petition, which was filed on their behalf by Isaac Maduabuchi Anya and five other Umuahia-based lawyers, urged the Tribunal to declare as null and void, the declaration of the first respondent, Mr Chinedu Ekeke, as the winner of Isuikwuato LGA and order a rerun.

In the petition marked LGET/07/2024 and dated November 28, 2024, the claimant listed Ekeke, the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) as the first, second and third respondents.

Ekeke was inaugurated as the Council chairman on November 4, 2024.

The petitioners stated that the 2024 LG Election in Isuikwuato was manipulated against him and his party.

He added that while ABSIEC declared Ekeke of the ZLP the winner and gave him a Certificate of Return, it declared APGA, which did not contest or participate in the election, the second position, whilst unlawfully excluding the petitioners who actively participated in the election.

ABSIEC had after the election, announced that the ZLP and Young Progressives Party (YPP) won 15 and two chairmanship positions of the 17 state LGAs.

The petitioners, specifically urged the Tribunal to determine that Azubuike was validly nominated but unlawfully excluded by ABSIEC from the election, adding that the first respondent was not qualified to contest the election.

He argued that all the votes recorded for the 1st and 2nd respondents in the election were all wasted votes owing to non-compliance with electoral law and guidelines.