Abia North Residents Jubilate As Tribunal Upholds Orji Kalu’s Victory

Residents of some Abia North communities on Monday went wild in jubilation as the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia upheld the victory of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu as the lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

In Igbere, Bende Local Government Area, residents danced round major streets, around Ibina, Umuisi and Okafia singing and dancing in jubilation to the tribunal’s judgement.

Our correspondent reports that Kalu’s supporters at Elughu, Nkporo, Akanu and Ndi Ibe Ohafia in Ohafia Local Government Area, also went into jubilation after the judgement.

His supporters were also seen in Ututu, Abam and Aro town—all in Arochukwu Local Government Area celebrating the outcome of today’s judgement.

The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia on Tuesday upheld the victory of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu representing Abia North Senatorial zone in the February 25, 2023 polls.

A three-man panel led by Justice Samson Paul-Gang in its unanimous ruling on Tuesday, September 12, dismissed the petition of Peoples Democratic Party’s Mao Ohuabunwa and Labour Party’s Nnamdi Iro Orji for lacking merit.

The court, while upholding the victory of Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said that the election of the former Senate Chief Whip compiled with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The tribunal judges also faulted the arguments of both petitioners that the election did not hold in over 120 polling units mainly in Ohafia and Arochukwu Local Government Areas of the zone.

Nnamdi Iro and Ohuabunwa who came second and third respectively, Labour Party, in separate suits had asked the court to overturn the election of the former Abia Governor as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, alleging irregularities.

Also thrown out out was the petition of the PDP and LP was the argument that the total number of registered voters in the said affected polling units was far above the margin of win between Kalu and the first and second runners-up.

The court also validated Kalu’s eligibility to contest the election stating that his trial and conviction was quashed by the Supreme Court.

Two other matters filed by the LP challenging Kalu’s election were also interpreted and laid to rest by the Tribunal judges and thus declared Kalu the duly elected Senator of Abia North.

Kalu, a Chieftain of the APC was declared winner by the INEC returning Officer for Abia North, Mr Chinedu Nnamdi at Ohafia.

Kalu, a two-time lawmaker who currently chairs the Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation was declared winner by INEC of the February 25, 2023 Senatorial polls having scored 30,805 votes to defeat Nnamdi who got 27,540 votes.

While Kalu’s other opponent, Ohuabunwa of the PDP scored 15,175 votes to place third.