The Court of Appeal in Owerri on Thursday dismissed the petition filed by Osita
The appellate court therefore affirmed the election of Uzodinma.
Izunaso had approached the
At the tribunal, the three-member panel in a unanimous decision held that Izunaso failed to prove that there were no elections in three local government areas of the Senatorial District, namely Oru-East, Oguta and Ohaji-
The trbunal relied on the uncontroverted evidence led by the respondents in proof of the election of April 11, 2015 and further held that the Petitioner failed to prove that the first respondent (Senator Hope Uzodinma) did not score the majority of the lawful votes cast in the election. It also held that the Izunaso failed to prove that he scored the majority of the lawful votes in the said election.
During the tribunal trial, the parties testified and called witnesses which the panel distilled the evidence presented before it by both
But undeterred, Izunaso took the matter to the Appeal Court which again dismissed
It would be recalled that the petition by the APC candidate was earlier dismissed before another tribunal headed by Justice A. Y. Sanya which held that the petitioner, Izunazo, abandoned his petition by failing to pay the appropriate filling fees for pre-hearing.
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The tribunal therefore declared that for failing to pay the appropriate fees as required by law, Izunaso had abandoned his petition and that there was consequently no petition before the Tribunal.
However, Izunaso took the matter to the Appeal Court in Owerri, Imo State which ruled that the case should be heard on its merit. But again, he failed.
This would be the second time, Senator Hope Uzodinma would defeat Izunaso in the senatorial election but the latter would not let go until a judicial pronouncement.
Reacting to the ruling, an elated Uzodimma attributed the victory to the will of God and the overwhelming confidence his constituents repose in him.
He said that throughout the duration of the trial, he had absolute confidence in the judicial system and the will of God and most importantly, the firm conviction that the will of the people must prevail.