2007 polls : Ugochukwu returns to court

By  Anayo Okoli

Umuahia—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in the April 2007 gubernatorial election in Abia State, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu says he has returned to the Court of Appeal, sitting in Owerri, Imo State to resume the pursuit of his right to park into the Abia Government House, Umuahia.

He said he had approached the Appeal Court to reverse the judgment it delivered in February 2009, which confirmed Chief Theodore Orji as the elected Governor of Abia State in the April 2007 election.
Speaking with journalists in Umuahia, Ugochukwu insisted that the matter “is as fresh as ever.”  “This fight is not over and we are going to carry it to its end. I am fully prepared to do anything possible to see the end of this matter,” Ugochukwu said.

According to him, the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt was an injustice allegedly perpetrated by the Justices of the court, who heard the matter. He claimed that they committed illegality because they knew they had the final say on the matter.
He said that using such power to perpetrate injustice would not stand as there is a constitutional provision,  which provides an aggrieved party at the appellate court, the opportunity to seek a reversal of any bad judgment.

“When a bad judgment has been given, our constitution allows for that judgment to be reversed,” Ugochukwu said.

According to him,  as far as his party, PDP, was concerned, the Appeal Court judgment given in Port Harcourt in respect of the Abia State governorship election petition was a nullity and should not be allowed to stand.