By Milcah Tanimu
The Labour Party (LP) has officially rejected the verdict of the Enugu Governorship Tribunal, which upheld the election of Governor Peter Mbah from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The tribunal, in its decision, dismissed all grounds of the petition submitted by the Labour Party’s governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, challenging Mbah’s electoral victory.
Justice Kudirat Akano, the Chairperson of the three-judge panel, announced the tribunal’s ruling, stating that the accusation by Edeoga, claiming that Mbah’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate was forged, lacked merit.
In response, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, expressed dismay at the tribunal’s decision and characterized it as a disheartening reflection of the state of the judiciary in Nigeria. He voiced concerns about the consistent issuance of questionable rulings from the esteemed halls of justice.
Abure went on to announce the party’s intention to appeal the tribunal’s judgment, which went against their candidate. He stated, “Though we will seek redress at the Supreme Court immediately, knowing that justice was miscarried in this particular case and that the tribunal judgment cannot stand, we are worried about the level of degeneration in our judiciary where ridiculous rulings are frequently churned out from the hallowed temple of justice.”
The Labour Party argued that their case before the tribunal demonstrated electoral misconduct, particularly in Enugu, where they alleged irregularities in the vote tally. They emphasized discrepancies in the votes attributed to the PDP in Nkanu East LGA, pointing out that the figures exceeded the accredited voters on Election Day. The party also raised concerns about the authenticity of the NYSC certificate presented by the PDP candidate.
The LP called on concerned Nigerians to unite and safeguard the integrity of the judiciary to prevent it from being compromised. They emphasized the vital role of the judiciary in preserving democracy and called for collective action to protect it.
