BY PETER OKUTU

ABAKALIKI – The National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abakaliki, yesterday dismissed the petition filed against the candidate of All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Chief Ugo Chima, who contested the central senatorial seat in the state during last general election.

The petition, which was filed by the senator representing Ebonyi central senatorial zone, Chief Paulinus Igwe-Nwagu, had asked the tribunal to strike out the petition challenging his election.

In the petition filed by  counsel to Chief Igwe-Nwagu, Yusuf Ali, SAN, the petitioner  prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by ANPP senatorial candidate in the April 16 election, Chief Innocent Ugo-Chima, on technical grounds, based on the error in addressing the petition.

 Ruling on the petition, Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Henry Olusiyi, stated that it was not right to punish the party for the mistake in addressing the petition and denied it justice.

He cited paragraph 5b of the first schedule of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, to buttress his ruling.