By Dennis Agbo

ABAKALIKI— ACTION Congress, AC, in Anambra State and its governorship candidate in last February 6 gubernatorial election in the state, Dr. Chris Ngige, have called for dissolution of the election petitions tribunal as currently constituted.

The party and candidate said their grouse was based on the judgment delivered last Tuesday in the petition brought about by Hope Democratic Party, HDP, by the tribunal presided over by Justice Pius Damulak in which the tribunal ruled that Governor Peter Obi was duly elected governor in the election.

In a statement by the Publicity Secretary of AC in Anambra State, Chief Chetanne Udoka, the party said majority of the citizens who it claimed were “massively and wilfully” disenfranchised by a manipulated voters’ register of INEC were thoroughly shocked and disappointed that the Tribunal gave the judgement in favour of Peter Obi against the weight of evidence placed before it.

According to the party, the electorate in Anambra State allegedly disenfranchised in the February 6, 2010, governorship election, have anxiously been waiting for the Tribunal to throw away Peter Obi’s “pyrrhic victory” and order an expeditious second election using a new voters’ register. “Now, unfortunately, they have to wait for some time,” said AC.

Part of the statement read: “It is our considered opinion that since the first relief sought by Hope Democratic Party based on S.179 (2)(b) and S.70 of the Electoral Act, 2006 is in pari-materia with the first relief of other pending petitions before the Tribunal and because they have most surprisingly, ruled against it and in favor of Peter Obi, this Tribunal led by Justice Pius Damulak should and must excuse themselves from further participation and determination of all pending petitions before it.”