I Weep For Nigeria’s Democracy – Okorie

Labour Party (LP) senatorial candidate of Ebonyi South in the 2023 National Assembly elections, Chief Linus Okorie, on Friday, said he was weeping for the nation’s democracy. This was as he rejected the judgment of the National Election Petition Tribunal which dismissed his petition against Senator Dave Umahi declared winner of the Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone….CONTINUE READING…CONTINUE READING

Okorie who rejected the judgment said he weeps for Nigeria’s democracy and has refused to give up on it despite the way things are going in it, urging all lovers of justice and democracy not to give up.

The two-term former House of Representatives member stated this in a statement he signed and made available to journalists on the judgment of the tribunal which dismissed his petition against Senator Dave Umahi who is now Minister of Works in the country.

He said “I have received the decision of the Election Petition Tribunal to dismiss my petition challenging the wrongful return of, the now Minister of Works, David Nweze Umahi; as the Senator representing Ebonyi South District in the 2023 general elections. I disagree with that decision, even as I respect it.

“I disagree with the decision because it neither served justice, reflected evidence presented, the electoral law nor the expressed will of the electorates of Ebonyi South.

“The minimum expected justice, in the circumstances of that election, was to declare it inconclusive and order a supplementary election in, at least, the 16 polling units with over 10,000 collected PVCs where no elections held/results were not collated; in an election with a declared winning figure (margin of lead) of 2,882! Similar decisions abound from other tribunals across the country.

“Whatever motivated the tribunal to so flagrantly ignore the weighty evidence before it, especially Certified True Copies of INEC results and the unambiguous provisions of section 137 of the Electoral Act 2022 in the circumstance, is best known to them.
However, it is noteworthy that the final decision on the matter does not lie with the tribunal; being the mandate of the Court of Appeal under the Constitution.

“At stake is the growth and development of our democracy as typified by the freely expressed choice of the people. Accordingly, I shall not relent until the sacred will of the people prevails.

“I wish to salute the doggedness and sacrifice of #NdiEbonyiSouth who have remained steadfast in the pursuit of their mandate.

“While I weep for democracy in Nigeria, I refuse to give up on her; all the same. I urge you not to give up too. I know that this is a tall order given the recent outcome of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal; which has demoralized many.

“I have mandated my lawyers to appeal the judgement. This truncation of the will of the people, commenced by INEC, in Ebonyi South shall not be allowed to stand!

“I plead with all patriots and lovers of democracy in Ebonyi South to remain calm, focused, hopeful and steadfast as we continue to trudge the course of recovering your stolen mandate….CONTINUE READING