Okorocha: PDP wins Round One

Rochas Okorocha
Effort by All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Imo State chapter to have the state governorship election petitions tribunal to strike out the petition against the election of Gov. Rochas Okorocha failed yesterday to sail through.

The tribunal ruled that it would hear the petition brought by the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

The APGA had argued that the issues raised by the PDP were pre-election matters and therefore urged the tribunal not to entertain the petition.

Lead counsel to APGA, Niyi Akintola (SAN) maintained that Imo people massively voted for Okorocha at the May 6 supplementary poll. He added that the May 6 poll could not have been unconstitutional since the petitioner, PDP participated in it.

He further argued if the PDP was querying the constitutionality of the supplementary election, it was better it approached the regular court than an election tribunal.

The counsel to the PDP, Mike Onyeka had insisted that the supplementary poll on May 6 which produced Okorocha as governor was unconstitutional in the eyes of the law.

After listening to the submissions of both counsels, presiding judge, Justice E.N. Epojime ruled that the tribunal would hear the PDP petition.

He adjourned to August 18, 2011 when the tribunal would also hear the motion by the PDP to be allowed to bring in additional witnesses.