HON FERDINAND DOZIE NWANKWO MOVES TO VICTORY OVER OKECHUKWU EZE

Friday 11th September 2015.
Awka - In the National Assembly Election Tribunal holding in Awka, Anambra State, the case between Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Dr Okechukwu Nnamdi Eze of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the matters of the election for the House of Representatives of the National Assembly for Anaocha /Dunukofia /Njikoka Federal Constituency held on the 28th day of March 2015 has been a battle between pundits as both parties employ every possible means to exorcise any doubts in their claims.

However, the petition with registration number EPT/AWK/HR/10/2015 filed on 16th April 2015 is near determination due to the inability of both the INEC and Okechukwu Nnamdi Eze (and PDP) who are the respondents to provide their witnesses to back up  their claims. On the 15th of July 2015, the petitioner, Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo provided the court with the "Star Witness" who was the constituency collation agent who testified on behalf of all the wards and polling units agents; in his report, the Witness testified that the results announced by INEC at the Constituency Collation Center which declared Mr Okechukwu Nnamdi Eze winner of the election does not tally with results collated at the polling units in all the wards.


Presenting copies of the results signed and stamped by INEC officials, the witness argued that when proper computation of results from all the polling units were done, Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo emerged the winner of the election. He pointed out that INEC's law demands that the results with which a winner of an election shall be determined must tally with results collated at the polling units in all wards.

According to the witness, the actual result of the election based on summation of the results from all the polling units/wards in the constituency for both parties under contention is are :

I. Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo of APGA : 40,696 votes
II. Dr Okechukwu Nnamdi Eze of PDP : 34,442 votes

However, the final result declared by INEC at the constituency collation center on 29th day of March 2015 is as follows :
I. Barr Cyrian Udenwa (APC) : 2,291
II. Hon Anekwe Ikenna (ADC) : 48
III. Hon Emebie Uchenna Sunday (Accord) : 74
IV. Nwankwo Dozie Ferdinand(APGA) : 17,228
V. Eze Kingsley (PPA) : 113
VI. Dr Okechukwu Nnamdi Eze (PDP) : 48,427
VII. Ilounoh Afamefuna (Lp) : 62
VIII. Donatus Egbuna Nwabueze (UPP) : 92
IX. Chinwe Nwafor (UDP) : 61

On his part, the first respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed the claims of the petitioner's witness but argued the legitimacy of some of the documents provided by the witness.
However, the first respondent failed to provide any tangible argument to counter the claims of the petitioner's witness and subsequently failed to provide the court with a witness to backup their arguments.

Similarly, the Counsel to the second respondent (Dr Okechukwu Nnamdi Eze) Peter Eze, ESQ and Fidelis O. Anyanegbu and consequently, the Counsel to the third respondent (PDP) Chuma Oguejiofor, ESQ and Clems Ezika all failed to provide the court with any witness; they on various dates pleaded for adjournment to enable them meet up with the court's demand for a witness and subsequently, failed to provide any by the time the court's period of grace elapsed.

The issues brought for determination by the petitioner were;
I.  Whether there are results from polling units that are invalid and ought to be discarded in calculating the final scores of the parties.
II.  Whether on a recount of the ballot papers in the polling units and wards objected to by the second respondent, the scores of the parties reflected in the form EC8A(II) for the objected polling units are correct.
III. Whether taking into account the date the results of the election was declared, the petition is competent (which is the motion on notice served by PDP)

Earlier in the proceedings, (16th June 2015 particularly) the third respondent filed a motion of discontinuance demanding that the court dismiss the petition brought before it by the petitioner but the motion however, met no success as the Counsel to the petitioner, Lateef O. Fagbemi SAN, Dr J.O Olatoke SAN and Olusola A. Dare ESQ argued that the motion is an abuse of the court process. They also submitted that "it be determined and declared that the second respondent Dr Okechukwu Nnamdi Eze was not duly elected or returned by the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election to the House of Representatives for Anaocha /Dunukofia /Njikoka Federal Constituency held on the 28th day of March 2015.

However, after the address was read on Friday 11th September 2015, the court adjourned for judgement but all hopes are high as the people of the constituency rejoice in anticipation for the redemption of their "stolen mandate".
In an interview with one of the electorates, Mr Emeka Okafor told Naija24Info that he believes God has finally answered the prayers of the people of Anaocha, Dunukofia and Njikoka Federal Constituency pointing out that "Hon Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo" had remained the people's choice.

"we thank God for the progress so far, we believe our prayers has finally been answered. This is not the first time such thing is happening and Dozie Nwankwo, Onye Ndozi remains our choice come rain -  come sunshine "  ... Mr Emeka concluded

Another person from Umudioka in Dunukofia Local Government Area (anonymous) described" Hon Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo as a man of the people and expressed optimism that justice will prevail in the judgement and "Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo will be declared the rightful winner of the election".

Nevertheless, one of the PDP stalwarts and supporters of Dr Okechukwu Nnamdi Eze in a chat with Naija24Info debunked earlier rumours that Dr Okey Eze has or is planning to surrender power to Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo, stressing that the court will decide;

"I want you to disregard all the rumours making round that Hon Dr Okey Eze has surrendered to Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo or is planning to surrender, I assure you we'll wait for the court's judgement".

The man who gave his name as Mr Chidi Ikechukwu on the absence of witness for either INEC, PDP or Okey Eze admitted they had difficulty in raising a witness but maintained they have no witness. He opted not to make any further comments.

Editorial
In summary, it is however imperative to say that the die is cast; it is high time the square peg is fitted into the square hole in order to right the wrong. The recurrent manipulation of the votes/efforts of Nigerian masses in choosing their leaders has become a thing of greater concern and calls for urgent attention of the wider community and all right thinking individuals to join efforts in curbing the menace before it becomes deadlier and uncontrollable. We equally employ the most revered judges of the tribunal to make the bold step by applying justice in their judgement citing the cases between Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige and Ex Governor Peter Obi of Anambra state dated 15th March 2006 in which an incumbent governor was removed and that of Ex Governor of River state, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi against Sir Celestine Omehia on 25th of October 2007. It is indubitable that such positive approach will as much as possible extrapolate the efforts already engaged in emancipating our political process from mediocrity.