21st December, 2021
By Chimezie Anaso
The Anambra governorship election petitions tribunal has relocated its sittings from Awka to Ilorin in Kwara, creating some anxiety among politicians.
Mr Surajo Gusau, Secretary of the tribunal, disclosed this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka via telephone on Tuesday.
Gusau said that the movement took place on Dec. 17. He said the tribunal had already settled down in Ilorin.
He said the relocation was based on an administrative directive.
Gusau said that the tribunal was handling 12 cases apart from the one filed by Accord Party which was withdrawn on Dec. 9.
The tribunal was set up to handle petitions arising from the Anambra governorship poll, won by Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Those whose petitions are with the tribunal include Senator Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Uba whose candidacy has been declared illegal by a high court, called for a declaration that he won majority of the valid votes cast in the said election.
For now, he has no locus standi to challenge Soludo’s election.
The Action Democratic Party (ADP) and its candidate, Prince Adam Ume-Ezeoke also prays the tribunal to nullify the election on the grounds that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, used in the election is not contained in the Electoral Act.
He claims that the malfunctioning of BVAS disenfranchised over ninety percent of the registered voters.
The three-man tribunal is chaired by Justice B. Mohammed.
Other members are Justice Edem Akpan and Justice O. H. Oyajimi.
Special Adviser to Gov Wille Obiano on Political Matters, Barr Ifeatu Obiokoye had told journalists that APGA is not losing sleep over the petitions.
“We shall take it as it comes and we are not losing sleep over those petitions and do not lose sight of the game plan of a particular party and petitioner by sponsoring some lesser political parties to go to tribunal and later withdraw from the suits and collapse into their benefactors at the end of the day.
“Our party the All Progressives Grand Alliance won the election and we are prepared to defend our mandate at the tribunal.”