By Onyekachi Eze
The scheduled Adoption of law suits filed by respective candidates and political parties emanating from the outcome of the elections petition Tribunal, EPT, in the appeal court could not hold yesterday bordered on facts best known by the presiding judges.
Likely reasons surrounding the abrupt adjournment of all the election cases pending in the Court of Appeal, Owerri was shifted for today for hearing and adoption.
Trumpeta correspondent that monitored the activities in the court premises observed the tense tension in the body movement of all the involved persons whose cases were supposed to be heard.
For the State Assembly positions, already sworn in representatives from Obowo, Oguta, Oru East and Owerri West were spotted, until the announcement of the adjournment.
However, this Newspaper gathered that the Imo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC, wrote a petition to the higher authorities demanding for a neutral trial panel in the ongoing EPT cases.
The petition, as was gathered may have been the major issue behind the unscheduled adjournments.
In a letter obtained from the APC quarters, dated 24th October, 2019and signed by the Imo State chairman of the party, Prince M.O Nlemigbo, and the Secretary, Dr Love Eneh respectively, which was copied to; the Presiding Judge Hon Justice R.C Agbo court of Appeal Owerri, they tagged it “Application for the constitution of a distinct and neutral panel for the hearing and determination of Appeals emanating from election petition Tribunals in Imo State”.
The said letter was also acknowledged by the (SEC) PI’s office, Lilian Agordako on 28th October, 2019. The APC party accused the presently residing judges of foul play in discharging justice in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
APC while expressing doubts as to the neutrality and independence of the panel constituted to hear appeals emanating from the EPT, narrated on alleged relationship between Justice Rapheal Chukwu Agbo (the presiding judge of the Owerri Division) and the PDP.
They said the judge is married to a serving Commissioner in the Enugu State Government which is controlled by the PDP.
Part of their letter read, “My noble Lord, would respectfully recall that my Lord the Honourable President of the Court of Appeal had to rescue himself, as head of the Panel of Justices for the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and reconstituted the panel of justices that set to hear the presidential election petition on the basis of the compliant by the Peoples Democratic Party, expressing doubt over the impartiality of the panel headed by the president of the Court of Appeal, due to her marriage to Senator Adamy Bulkachuwa, a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC)”.
It continued, “Following the above precedent therefore, we most respectfully request the President of the Court of Appeal in exercise of the powers of your office, to constitute and empanel justices distinct from the members presently residing in the Owerri division of the court”
They said doing so would ensure justice is not just served but seen to be done.
