The member representing Isiukwato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives, Amobi Ogar, has rejected the judgment of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal which upturned his victory.
The tribunal, which sat in Umuahia, had nullified Amobi’s election and declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and current Minister of State for Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha as the winner of the election for alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.
But Amobi while reacting to the verdict in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, described the judgment as strange and miscarriage of justice, adding that he would appeal the verdict.
He said, “I want to state categorically and for the records that, I will appeal the judgment by the tribunal as soon as I conclude with my legal team.
- VIDEO: I’ll retire Atiku, buy him goats to rear – Shettima
- UNICEF raises concern over worsening child malnutrition in Nigeria
“My opponent, whom I know, did not win the election and the judge cannot announce a result presented by the petitioner as concrete against the result presented by INEC.
“With the benefit of hindsight, this bizarre outcome is not totally strange as we had seen tendencies of clear compromise by the panel who discarded all known principles governing election adjudication and enunciated their own principles.
“I want to use this medium to call on my constituents who voted me, knowing my capacity to deliver dividends of democracy to them, to be calm law and abiding as I appeal the judgment delivered by the tribunal.
“For the records, I scored a total of 11,769 votes against my opponent whom the commission said scored a total of 8,752 votes. It is very bizarre that despite calling a lone witness and dumping several strange result sheets before the tribunal, the members of the panel recognised same and disregarded original copies of the result sheets produced from proper custody.
“Let me be clear that I am rejecting the tribunal’s ruling and will appeal the obvious miscarriage of justice, fairness and objectivity.
“Just to let the public know that the constituency I represent in the House of Representatives is fully on the ground to cater for her people and no amount of distraction will make me lose focus to delivering promises made to my people.”
Amobi said he was confident the “desperation and mischievous attempt to scuttle the will of the people would be upturned by the justices of the Appellate Court.”
