Umeh Optimistic of victory over Ekwunife as court admits evidence

The former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh has expressed optimism that he will sack Senator Uche Ekwunife from the upper chambers as the evidence he presented before the court are foolproof.

Umeh who spoke to journalists after he left the court hall said, said the INEC made foundamental errors in declaring Ekwunife returned, and that the court has the resp[onsibility of determining the complicity of the Police, Army and even INEC in the election.

The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Awka Thursday fixed July 24 for continuation of hearing in the petition filed by Chief Victor Umeh against Sen. Uche Ekwunife (PDP-Anambra Central).

 

Umeh and his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is challenging Ekwunife's victory on grounds that the March 28 poll conducted for Anambra Central Senatorial district was fraught with electoral malpractices.

 

The Tribunal Chairman, Justice Nayai Aganaba adjourned the petition after admitting in evidence volumes of documents including forms EC8A (polling units results), EC8B (ward results) and EC8C (local councils results) used for the poll.

 

Also tendered and admitted was the PDP Electoral Guideline 2014, a copy of letter dated Nov. 4, 2014 written by the national chairman of APGA to the national chairman of the PDP and APGA certificate issued to Umeh as the senatorial candidate of the party after the party’s primary.

 

Form CF001 being INEC’s acknowledgment of candidates’ names issued to Umeh was also admitted as exhibit by the tribunal.

 

Counsel to the respondents; Mr Okechukwu Ezechukwu for INEC, Mr Peter Eze for Ekwunife and George Igbokwe for PDP did not object to the documents tendered by Umeh's counsel, Mr Patrick Ikwueto (SAN).