As the Election petitions Tribunal opens hearing in Owerri, the Imo State capital for complaints arising from the conduct of March 28 and April 11 2015 elections, who is losing sleep over his case is Senator Osita Izunaso of the APC candidate, against incumbent, Hope Uzodinma, Izunaso is reported to be plotting to use the tribunal as the last stroke to gain victory.
Trumpeta reliably gathered that the camp of Izunaso who is challenging the victory of Uzodinma especially that of Oru East LGA results during the Presidential/National Assembly elections will use paid.
Our reporter observed that the focus of the ex-senator is Oru East communities where people are said to be conscripted to come and testify at the tribunal that no election was held in the area.
A Chieftain of the party in the area (names withheld) who confirmed the development, revealed that the sum of N50,000 was dangled before willing APC party men and women to appear and testify against that the conduct of election in Oru East where Uzodinma garnered more votes against Izunzso did not had.
The design, it was further gathered was for the paid witnesses to testify that the election was not held to enable the panel of Judges nullify the Oru East result. To herald this claim, Trumpeta learnt that three prominent politicians of Orlu zone and former associates of Uzodinma in PDP have also been handed the yeoman’s job of using the media to sensitive the public that no election was held in Oru East during the National Assembly election. The trio, Messers Rex Arunobi (Solam), Steve Asimobi and Samfo Nwankwo few days ago were on air in one of the national electronic media alleging that no election was conducted in the domain of Senator Uzodinma.
People of Oru East were said to be piqued of the claims of Sokom, Asimobi and Nwankwo as they are from Oru East and also no where near the LGA during the National Assembly election, to make such public statements.
Our reporter further gathered that apparently paced with defeat, it was top APC agent, and Izunaso coordinator one Austin Onyedebu, who was accused of allegedly placing calls to youths in area to stop the election but his efforts were futile and of no effort.
This newspaper further gathered that INEC adhlio staff and workers on duties during the election conduct were issued with incident forms to record cases of disruption of polls in their jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, the Imo State Elections petitions Tribunal has kick-started proceeding with not less than 38 petitions flooding the members. Details of the petition revealed that 8 cases are for senate while 18 and 11 matters are for House of Reps and State Assembly respectively.
Topping the list are cases brought against Senator Uzodinma by Izunaso and others challenging victory of Athan Achonu as Okigwe zone senator-elect under PDP. The victory of Rt Hon Goodluck Nanah Opiah of PDP is also contested by the Deputy Speaker, Domatus Ozoemena, for Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, Oru West
Meanwhile, it as is usual with every election and quest for justice, the Election Petition Tribunal (EPT) holden at Owerri, Imo State has swung into action since Monday last with thirty eight petition so far before it.
The three-man tribunal under the chairmanship of Justice A.Y Sanya has Justice S.O Falola and Justice P.P, as tribunal secretary.
In an interview yesterday in his office, the tribunal secretary, A.M Aliyu told Trumpeta that the tribunal is currently handing eighteen House of Representative petitions, eight senatorial and twelve state Assembly petitions.
He disclosed that there was no deadline yet for receiving of applications assuring that the tribunal would accommodate as many petitions that would come to it.
In another development, some of the cases which came up yesterday Wednesday 6th May, 2015 were adjourned to the thirteenth of this month. The cases included, case number EXT/IM/HR/8/2015 Bertran Okafor and Mr. Henry Nwawuba
The case between Engineer Chukwudi Ololo and Hon Ezenwa Onyewuchi with suit number EPT/IM/HR/5/2015, Senator Osita Izunaso against Senator Hope Uzodinma and Eighteen others in suit number EPT/IM/SEN/4/2015 as well as that between Hon Uchechukwu Onyeagocha and Hon Sam Nnaemeka Anyanwu in suit number EPT/IM/SEN/8/2015
