GROUP ALLEGES PLOT BY APGA TO DISCREDIT ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL

By Innocent Anaba
AWKA - A monitoring group, Justice For All, JFA, yesterday, raised alarm over alleged plot by All Progressive Grand alliance, APGA, to discredit the National Assembly Election Tribunal, sitting in Awka, Anambra State.

The group, in a statement by its Chairman, Mr Godwin Ndubuisi,  and  Secretary General, Mr Aminu Busari,  said it had uncovered plots by APGA to tarnish the image of the tribunal  in order to achieve its aim, describing the plan as 'unfair and unjust.'

It warned the party to desist from any  act that could discredit the reputation of the tribunal.

'Don't abuse the freedom of speech as enshrined in the 1999 Nigerian constitution,' the group warned.

The group said with the facts available to it, it would soon expose the party, APGA, members, who it felt were behind the plots to destabilize the tribunal, saying  enough was enough.

Meanwhile, former Governor of Anambra State, Senator Andy Uba, has filed a preliminary objection to the petition by aggrieved member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, challenging his victory at the April 9, 2011, senatorial election, insisting that the petitioner 'does not have,any claim  whatsoever to the Senate seat for Anambra South senatorial district.'

Uba said he was the only candidate the PDP fielded for the April 2011 Anambra South senatorial district election, and prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition he described as an abuse of court process.

He argued that some of the issues  raised in the petition by the petitioner did not qualify as grounds specified in the Election Act 2010  (as amended) and the 1999 Constitution as amended for questioning the validity of an election.

Senator Uba contended that the petitioner lacked  the requisite locus standi to present the petition as he (Ukachukwu ) was not a candidate and did not take part in the election.