The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate in the just-concluded 2023 general elections, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, have asked the election petitions Tribunal sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Capital, to mandate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to the Governor-elect, Right Honourable Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, on the ground of non-qualification.

They also asked the Tribunal to declare Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, the winner of the election and return him as the elected governor of Ebonyi State in the March 18, governorship election.

These were some of the prayers in Petition Number: EPT/EB/02/2023 dated 6th April, 2023 and filed on 7th April, 2023, by Dr Odii and the PDP against the INEC, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru and the All Progressives Congress, a copy of which was obtained by our Reporter.

The Petitioners, Mr Odii and the PDP, in the petition, argued that the Governor-elect, Mr Nwifuru, was not qualified to contest the election on the platform of the APC as he was still a bonafide member of the People’s Democratic Party and had not officially defected to any other political party including the APC.

The 2nd Petitioner, the PDP, further averred that Mr Nwifuru, being a serving lawmaker elected on the platform of the party to the State House of Assembly, and who had not defected officially at the floor of the House as the law requires, couldn’t have contested election in another party outside the PDP.

The PDP asked the Tribunal to declare that Mr Nwifuru was not qualified to stand for the 2023 governorship election on the platform of the APC as he remained a member of the party and the party never sponsored him for any election in the just concluded 2023 general elections.

The Petitioners also cited a subsisting judgment by Justice Henry Njoku of the Ebonyi State High Court, which ruled that Mr Nwifuru and other lawmakers of Ebonyi State House of Assembly who purportedly defected to the APC are still members of the PDP.
The petitioners also alleged non compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022, by the Independent National Electoral Commission as well as electoral malpractices, among other infractions.

Recall that the PDP candidate, Mr Odii placed second in the Governorship election with 80191 votes while Mr Nwifuru scored 199131 votes to emerge the winner.

The Petitioners’ legal team of 12 Lawyers including six Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SANs) is led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN.

https://independent.ng/odii-pdp-petition-tribunal-demand-sack-of-ebonyi-governor-elect-nwifuru/?utm_source=&utm_medium=%5Btwitter%5D

If it were in a sane cline.

O setigo

Exercise in futility😀😀

APC is now the dominant party in SE, despite their hatred for APC they keep serving APC.


The same way Asiwaju jagaban of the APC will rule them and their papa.

E sweet my belle. 😀😀


They can only lament and wail on the internet.

Meanwhile, has Peter obi be released from UK prison or he is still locked in there?

Medicine after death

HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT is what should be added after the infrastructural achievement of Dave umahi tenure

As it is, Ebonyi badly needs to create jobs for its teeming youths and find creative ways to engage the many idle youths. An idle mind is the devils tool.

Also, can Rich individuals build anything other than “hotels” for a minute. Any new building isa hotel or plaza.

Hmm

Oh boy, see head.

etokhana:


https://independent.ng/odii-pdp-petition-tribunal-demand-sack-of-ebonyi-governor-elect-nwifuru/?utm_source=&utm_medium=%5Btwitter%5D

INEC na cartel
Dem nor even dey screen people at all.
Most petitions are about qualifications and it could have been avoided if INEC are doing their work.
Political parties will always sell their positions to the highest bidder, but it is the responsibility of INEC to checkmate them instead of pilling pressures on the judiciary

Free

Damn!!

I love it when I see young people hold important positions.

It simply gives me hope that witches and wizards haven't totally hijacked and destroyed this country.

Nna mehnn

Wish Umahi could be re- elected
Ebonyi state especially Spirando roundabout upto their international market is now a better version of itself


Is my eyes or another
How come only Umahi is good looking and presentable

sogodihno:
Exercise in futility😀😀

APC is now the dominant party in SE, despite their hatred for APC they keep serving APC.


The same way Asiwaju jagaban of the APC will rule them and their papa.

E sweet my belle. 😀😀


They can only lament and wail on the internet.

Meanwhile, has Peter obi be released from UK prison or he is still locked in there?

He is still there oo. He is charged for Narcotics based crimes. He will be made to forfeit money made from heroine sales to the tune of $460 000. He is in deep mess. Tribunal will disqualify him. What do you think bro. Don't keep quiet ooo because we agbados are happy about this

sogodihno:
Exercise in futility😀😀

APC is now the dominant party in SE, despite their hatred for APC they keep serving APC.


The same way Asiwaju jagaban of the APC will rule them and their papa.

E sweet my belle. 😀😀


They can only lament and wail on the internet.

Meanwhile, has Peter obi be released from UK prison or he is still locked in there?

You people are not doing APC any good with these kinds of comments. I thought they said people from the South West were educated and sophisticated but some of you keep commenting like nitwits.

Reasonable people vote for politicians who they believe will improve their lives; nobody cares about parties because they are just platforms for winning elections. This is how sensible people think.

sogodihno:
Exercise in futility😀😀

APC is now the dominant party in SE, despite their hatred for APC they keep serving APC.


The same way Asiwaju jagaban of the APC will rule them and their papa.

E sweet my belle. 😀😀


They can only lament and wail on the internet.

Meanwhile, has Peter obi be released from UK prison or he is still locked in there?

Dont rejoice yet
Nothing last forever
PDP once boast they will rule for over 60yrs and in 2003 they controlled over 30 states out of 36
Where is PDP now?

In the mist of all these na the poor masses like u dey suffer am.

80% of the people in PDP then from el-Rufai to Ribadu to Ameachi to katsina current governor to APC chairman Etc are now in APC and the looting continues while u continue suffering

No case this was also what Ogun APC used against PDP and the case was thrown out

From Consumption to Detention

From Yes Daddy to common Criminal

Truly Amazing God, everything happens within a week.

A common criminal will never change his ways

Thief that came 3rd in an election went to court seeking court to put him as No 1

Agulu deportee

Like Lp Like PDP. Birds of the feathers who want steal others mandate at all cost

True o, same way obi got the LP ticket while still a member of the PDP!

DonMarkuzi:
If it were in a sane cline.

Lawyers making massive more after each election

Can this non-qualification issue be classified as Pre-election matter?

Pls can anybody give an update on Kaduna Guber election?

fagie001

Is there any petition by the PDP?

Nwufuru is eminently qualified to contest the election.

Pdp has strong case in Ebonyi State. The justices of the panel will agree and accept Pdp petition and will do the needful on their judgement. 95% of judgement favouring Pdp here. Infact Pdp technicality case is very solid here.

rolams:
Pls can anybody give an update on Kaduna Guber election?

fagie001

Is there any petition by the PDP?

yes. Isha Ashiru has filed his petition in the Kaduna State election petition tribunal too.

ucheo:
Can this non-qualification issue be classified as Pre-election matter?

nope. Pdp has got their judgement in Ebonyi State high court on that and no appeal judgement on that. Pdp technicality case here is very solid in the governorship election petition tribunal.

9jahotblog:
Pdp has strong case in Ebonyi State. The justices of the panel will agree and accept Pdp petition and will do the needful on their judgement. 95% of judgement favouring Pdp here. Infact Pdp technicality case is very solid here.

I agree with you in view of the Judgment of the Federal High Court declaring Nwifuru as a PDP member during the electioneering period. Aside the existence of that judgment, PDP does not have the locus standi to argue on whether or not Nwifuru was validly nominated by APC, for reason of being a member of the PDP at the time of his election.