Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
The Chairman of the Abia State Local Government Election Tribunal, Magistrate Nnaemeka Orji, yesterday abandoned the court and ran away, citing a threat to his life.
The tribunal was billed to deliver its verdict on the election petition filed by Chief Kalu Mba Nwoke, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the December 2020 Ohafia Local Government Area poll.
Mr. Ukaiwe Okoroafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner of the poll by the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), but Nwoke felt his “mandate was stolen” and went to the tribunal to reclaim it.
However, as the litigants and their supporters gathered for the verdict of the tribunal yesterday, the proceedings turned dramatic, and the tribunal chairman, instead of reading the judgment, started reading a threat letter allegedly sent to him by a cult group.
Orji also stated that he was accused of receiving N25 million inducement from the APC, hence, he was no longer continuing with the case, and announced his withdrawal.
The threat letter, which was neither dated nor signed, contained the symbols of the said cult group, and was addressed to Magistrate Nnaemeka Orji.
He was warned that he risked “the wrath of her Ricasia Majesty” should he deliver à judgment considered as “injustice” by the group that issued the threat.
“We shall not hesitate to strike you and members of your family physically and spiritually if you decide to trade(sic) on the part(sic) of dispensing unjust justice,” the group said.
After withdrawing from the case, Orji said he was going to ask the Chief Judge of the state to reassign the matter. With this development, Orji will no longer be a member of the panel which is also hearing other petitions filed by the local government chairmanship candidates on the APC platform in Bende, Umunneochi and Isuikwuato LGAs.
However, the petitioner vowed to continue his quest to reclaim his mandate, adding that the bribery allegation by the PDP was frivolous and diversionary.
Counsel to the petitioner, Mr. Perfect Okorie, said: “The twist in the matter already scheduled for judgment” was a delay tactics which would not stop his client from obtaining justice.
He said: “We know we have a strong case,” adding that the expected judgment would eventually be delivered and justice would prevail.
