Kalu, prior to this development, had won a case filed by the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Frank Chinasa
By Kehinde Okeowo
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has hailed the decision of the election petition tribunal sitting in Umuahia, Abia State, after it struck out a petition by the candidate of Action Alliance (AA), Ifeanyi Igbokwe, challenging his victory in the February 25 general election.
The tribunal had previously delivered a judgement on a petition brought by the candidate of Labour Party (LP) candidate, Frank Chinasa in Kalu’s favour.
The three man tribunal-led Justice Samson Paul Gang, denied Chinasa’s prayers to declare Kalu unqualified for the Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State election due to inconsistency in his name.
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The judges held that he followed due process in validating his name, saying the petition was unnecessary.
Similarly, the tribunal has also struck out the petition filed by the AA candidate against Kalu on Thursday, August 24.
After the judgment was delivered, a statement by Kalu’s Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Levinus Nwabughiogu, welcomed the tribunal’s ruling, saying he was impressed that the AA candidate accepted the verdict of the people at the polls.
Prior to this development, Igbokwe had denied he was behind the petition challenging the election of the Deputy Speaker.
Igbokwe explained that he never filed the petition before the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal and insisted he did not authorise it or know who did.
Announcing this while featuring in an Umuahia-based FM Radio programme, he said he was shocked that someone used his name to file a suit/petition against Kalu.
He said: “Whoever hired the lawyers also hired the impersonator/s. I was at home drinking my tea and watching the news when someone called, informing me that I had a case in court against the Deputy Speaker“