As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issues Certificate of Return to senators-elect and House of Representative-elect today (Thursday), Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, on Wednesday asked a Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State, to restrain the commission from issuing certificate to Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.
It would be recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, through his campaign coordinator, Ukpai Ukairo, had in a two separate petitions to the INEC dated February 24 and 25 respectively, asked the commission to order a rerun for Abia North senatorial election strictly in accordance with Section 33 (e) Rule 17 E (e) of the INEC law.
The lawmaker said the campaign organisation and indeed the entire people of Abia North “are however, at shock over the long silence of INEC over Abia North senatorial election even when there are precedence and evidences to right the wrong here and save the zone of imminent crisis.
“As a law abiding citizen, we have today filed a suit before a Federal High Court, Umuahia, Abia State, asking it to restrain INEC from issuing Certificate of Return to the APC candidate, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, in the said inconclusive election in Abia North.”
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The lawmaker in the exparte motion filed by his lead counsel, Chief Ukpai Ukairo, is asking the court to stop the commission from recognising the APC candidate as duly elected.
Ohuabunwa, had earlier in a petition to the commission, insisted that it would amount to double standard for INEC to issue Certificate of Return to Kalu despite his petition, adding, “We are worried about the inability of the commission to make public pronouncement on the matter.
“This conspiracy of silence must end now. Abia North cannot be different. INEC has done it before (rerun) in some states and senatorial elections where the number of votes cancelled were higher than the marginal lead.
“It’s also important to note that the candidate of the APC for Abia North senatorial election, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, scored a total of 31,000 votes, while the PDP candidate, Senator Ohuabunwa, was alloted 21 ,000 votes.”
