Election:Umahi, Edon to know fate today as appeal court rules on appeal

Umahi(right) and Edon, when the going was good

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the April 11 election in Ebonyi State, Chief Edward Nkwegu will today (Friday) know fate on the appeal against the judgment of the election petition tribunal which upheld the election of Chief Dave Umahi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor of Ebonyi State.

Election petition tribunal had in October this year in Abakaliki dismissed the petition filled by Chief Nkwegu challenging the declaration of Chief Umahi as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for lacking in merit and the inability of the petitioner to prove allegations of corrupt practices and criminalities as contained in the petition.

Dissatisfied with the judgment of the tribunal, the petit

ioner proceeded to the court of appeal sitting in Enugu to challenge the verdict.

In the appeal filed by his counsel, Chief U.N Udechukwu(SAN), Nkwegu prayed the appeal court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal describing the verdict as a grave error of law.

He urged the court to annul the election of Chief Umahi with fresh election conducted, adding that the governorship election was marred by widespread irregularities.

But Counsel to Chief Umahi, Arthur Obi Okafor(SAN) urged the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.

He said Chief Umahi was validly elected with the election in substantial compliance with the electoral act. ENDS