The chairman of Abia State local government electoral tribunal for December 18th, 2020, Magistrate Nnaemeka Orji has withdrawn from the case, alleging serious threat to his life and his family members from unknown persons.
Orji announced this during a sitting in Umuahia that he had received several threats to drop the case or face the music from an alleged secret cult. He also read out that the purpoted secret cult claimed to be monitoring him and will take all cost to eliminate him if he ventures to continue as the chairman of the panel.
Magistrate Orji told the court after the lawyers announced appearance that his life, that of his family and the panel members were in danger following the latest text message he received, on 16th November, 2021 warning them to hands off from the case. He therefore adjourned the case sine die.
Reacting to the development, one of the lawyers to APC candidates that filed the suit, challenging the 18th December, 2020 local government election conducted by Abia state independent electoral commission, ABSIEC, Barrister Perfect Okorie said he was not surprise to witness the drama that took place in the court. Barrister Okorie who insisted that the team would write to Abia state Chief Judge as suggested by the panel chairman, said they will pursue the case to conclusion.
Barrister Perfect Okorie said they came for Ohafia’s judgement fixed for today, 18th November, 2021 and to adopt final addresses for Bende and Umunneochi, before the chairman of the panel ordered for the paper bearing the threats to be shared”.
Barr Okorie
Okorie stated that there was also a twist when the respondents tried to challenge the jurisdiction of the panel through a motion which later did not come up, promised that he would have stood on the strength of their evidence to ask for the motion to be struck out.
Okorie “disclosed that the magistrate just condemned the purpoted threat, did not allowed them to contribute, as well went ahead to read his judgement. Orji described what happened in the court as a little set back, but reiterated that they will forge ahead.
Responding, the APC flag bearer for Ohafia LGA in the said election, Chief Kalu Mba Nwoke A.K.A, “Etiokwe” said he will sit back with their lawyers to ensure that justice will prevail.
He alleged that what happened in the court was a written script because the attorney general and commissioner for justice Abia state, Uche Ihediwa has not been coming since the case began.
According to him, the 18th December election witnessed alot of irregularities, because election did not hold in many places and he was able to produce required witnesses to prove his case.
Chief Nwoke advised Abia State government to borrow a leave from “Lagos State government (APC state) that allowed the tribunal to do their job without interference, the State local government election tribunal gave victory to PDP councillorship candidate and certificate of return” issued to him”.
Chief Kalu Mba
“He also cited Kaduna Stage where Governor Nasir El- Rufai allowed transparency during the last local government election, which the public adjudged to be free and fair, PDP won majority of the seats”, why can’t Abia experience such free and fair election. I will not relent, so that my fight against injustice must be heard, if not now, for future elections in Abia State”.
