Dispute over Election Petition Tribunal Relocation in Ebonyi State: APC, Youth Forum, and LP Senatorial Candidate Hold Different Views

Abakaliki,ebonyi state

The relocation of the election petition tribunal from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, to Abuja by the President of the Appeal Court, Justice Monica Mensem, has sparked a dispute between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Umuekuenyi Youth Forum, and the Ebonyi South senatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Linus Okorie.

The APC in Ebonyi State has petitioned the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, seeking immediate intervention and a possible reversal of the relocation. The party believes that the opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), orchestrated the relocation to manipulate the Election Petition Tribunal and obstruct justice. They argue that the relocation would deny Ebonyians, party members, and other interested parties their fundamental right to participate in the court/tribunal proceedings.

The Umuekuenyi Youth Forum has also lodged a petition with the National Judiciary Council (NJC) and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) against the relocation. They demand an immediate reversal of the decision, stating that it will prevent potential anarchy and the hijacking of justice in Ebonyi State. They believe that the relocation is suspicious and unacceptable to the people of Umuekuenyi and the entire state.

However, Linus Okorie, the Ebonyi South senatorial candidate of the Labour Party, has a different opinion. He cautions the ruling APC and the Umuekuenyi Youth Forum against opposing the relocation of the tribunal. He asserts that it will save lives and ensure justice for all parties involved. Okorie believes that the relocation is necessary to address concerns of induced insecurity and limited democratic space that have been raised by petitioners and their supporters.

It is important to note that the dispute over the relocation of the election petition tribunal in Ebonyi State is ongoing. The APC and the Umuekuenyi Youth Forum oppose the decision, while Linus Okorie supports it as a means to safeguard justice and security. The final decision regarding the tribunal's relocation rests with the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, the National Judiciary Council (NJC), and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).