Nwosu raises alarm over delay in releasing copy of tribunal judgment

The governorship candidate of Action Alliance (AA) in the last election in Imo state, Chief Uche Nwosu, has raised an alarm over the delay of the Imo State Election Petition Tribunal Judges to release a copy of the judgment given on September 21.


Nwosu, who raised the alarm Monday in Abuja while speaking with newsmen called on the President of the Court of Appeal to intervene.


According to him, the delay in releasing the judgment to him or his party was a calculated attempt by the Tribunal Judges to frustrated his filling of Appeal. 


The AA governorship candidate had gone to court after the Independent National Electoral Commission had declared the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Emeka Ihedioha as the winner of the Imo State governorship election that was conducted on March 9.


According him, the PDP candidate did not have two-third spread as provided by the constitution.


But in delivering judgement on September 21, the chairman of the tribunal Justice Umar Dogondaji disimissed the petition of the AA candidate. 


However, the AA governorship candidate, Uche Nwosu had said he was going to Appeal the judgment. 


Speaking on the delay of his Appeal, he said, “Since after the judgement was delivered two weeks ago, the judges ought to have handed over the judgment to the party or the Tribunal secretariat. 


“We have been to the secretariat and they continue saying that they have not received the judgement.


“We are raising alarm because almost 10 days are out of the 14 days we have to file. To us it a calculated attempt by these people to suppress our filling in the Appeal Court and l am calling on the President of the Court of Appeal to intervene immediately. You have 14 days and 10 days are gone you have not seen the judgment.”


Reacting to the judgment earlier, the AA Ag. National Secretary, Mr. Eli U. Moses said the ruling of the Tribunal was “Judgment and not Justice.”


According to him,  the Tribunal did not take cognisance of the provisions of the constitution on winning two-third of the local government areas governorship election.