The Labour Party said the ruling of the Appeal Court against its candidates in Enugu do not reflect the people’s will.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Labour Party has again stressed that the ruling of various election tribunals and the Court of Appeal against its governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, and some members of the party-state legislators in Enugu do not reflect the electoral position of the people.
The party said in a statement on Monday that the election tribunal in Enugu and Court of Appeal in Lagos rejecting its weighty evidence that it won the March 18, 2024 governorship has left many political and judiciary watch stunned.
Stating its case, the party said, “That PDP’s Peter Mbah was at the time of the election not qualified to contest the election into the office of Governor of Enugu State having presented a forged NYSC discharge Certificate to INEC in contravention of Section 182(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution As Amended. Evidence to prove this came from the NYSC Director of Certification who was subpoenaed by the tribunal to say that Mbah was parading a forged NYSC certificate. Earlier before this the Director General of the NYSC Brig Gen. Y.D. Ahmed had gone on national Television, ARISE TV to say that Mbah was parading a forged NYSC certificate.
“The Labour Party Candidate also tendered an NYSC disclaimer letter dated 2/2/23 which was admitted as Exhibit EPT01/8A& B. PW2 from the legal firm Omas & Partners also a subpoenaed witness. And who was the person who wrote NYSC for confirmation of Mbah’s NYSC discharge certificate? She tendered in evidence the original disclaimer letter from the NYSC and her letter to the NYSC.
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“Also tendered was a Letter of appointment dated July 14 2003 appointing him Chief of Staff to the then Governor of Enugu State Dr Chimaroke Nnamani when he claimed to be serving in Lagos as a Corps Member.
“Also tendered as evidence from INEC staff was Mbah’s Form EC9 (Nomination Form and Affidavits of Personal particulars) and it was confirmed the said forged NYSC Certificate was attached to his Form EC9.
“Also tendered but rejected by the tribunal and court of Appeal as not enough the various witness statements confirming over-voting, the act of non-compliance complained by our candidate in Nkanu East and Igboeze North LGAs and the failure of INEC to cancel the results in places where there were incidences of over-voting as demanded by the Electoral Act.”
The statement added, “In Enugu State, we need to remind Nigerians and all lovers of democracy that the Labour Party won 2 of the three Senate seats, Seven of the Eight House of Representatives seats, and 14 majority of the 24 state House of Assembly seats but INEC and Judiciary are trying to give the governorship to another party.
“Our position is that if this stands at the Supreme Court, four major and dangerous things will happen: the will and desire of Enugu people as demonstrated in their voting pattern on March 8 will be undermined, forgery of the NYSC certificate and indeed other certificates will be legalized, NYSC as a credible national institution in the country will be destroyed and the military who oversees the NYSC as a paramilitary body will be dented.
“Our Appeal therefore is for the Apex Court to look judiciously at all the evidence and the law in the Enugu case and do justice and nothing short of that.”
