Ekwunife, Nnamani lose at Appeal Court

The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu yesterday nullified the election of Senator Uche Ekwunife representing Anambra Central Senatorial District and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election within 90 days.The court, however, upheld the elections of Senator Andy Ubah representing Anambra South, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Enugu West, Senator Obinna Ogba, Ebonyi Central and Senator Gil Nnaji, for Enugu East.The three-man appeal panel, led by Justice A.H. Yahya in nullifying the March 28 election of Ekwunife upheld the appeal filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, who challenged the judgment of the lower tribunal which had earlier upheld Ekwunife’s election.The court held that “the perverse decision of the lower tribunal cannot stand. This appeal stands and INEC is hereby ordered to conduct fresh election in Anambra Central senatorial zone within 90 days.”Reacting to the judgment, Umeh expressed appreciation to the Appeal Court for “dispensing justice without fear or favour.” He described the judgment as victory for democracy and rule of law.The former national chairman of APGA said with the judgment,  his party, APGA was prepared for the fresh election.In her reaction, Senator Ekwunife said: “The judgement is a judgment of man. I take it in good faith believing that my victory at the polls was an act of God.Also, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has expressed satisfaction with the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which upheld his re-election as senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District.Reacting to the appellate tribunal’s judgment delivered in Enugu on Monday, Senator Ekweremadu said he was never perturbed as the mandate handed to him was “free, fair, credible, resounding, and, therefore, incontrovertible.”The Senator, who said he did not begrudge his challenger for trying his luck at the tribunals, reiterated that his major concern was how to provide quality representation to his constituents and the nation in general.He said: “This is the beauty of democracy. My challenger exercised his democratic right. It is also democratic and reassuring that the appellate court has upheld the return made by the lower tribunal on my election…”