Okolie, a member of the Labour Party, plans to file an appeal against the recent tribunal verdict that nullified the election results.

 

 

In a dramatic turn of events, the political landscape of Aniocha-Oshimili Federal Constituency in Nigeria was thrust into turmoil as Mr. Ngozi Okolie, the member representing the area in the House of Representatives under the Labour Party, vowed to challenge the recent tribunal judgment that invalidated his election. The ruling, delivered on a fateful Monday, had nullified the declaration made by the Independent National Electoral Commission, which initially recognized Okolie as the rightful winner of the highly contested election.

To express his discontent and determination to fight the verdict, Mr. Okolie called for a press conference in the nation's capital, Abuja, on a Tuesday. Brimming with conviction, he asserted that the judgment had no solid legal foundation and confidently stated his readiness to initiate an appeal. Okolie staunchly refuted the court's assertion that he contested the election while still in office, contrary to the provisions of the constitution. He vehemently emphasized that he had dutifully resigned well within the constitutionally stipulated 30-day period before the election, in accordance with the law.

Attempting to bolster his position, Okolie pointed to a recent court decision in the case of Atiku v. Tinubu, APC, which established that matters of candidacy were strictly internal affairs of political parties. In line with this precedent, he firmly maintained that the issues raised by the court concerning his candidacy should not have been a subject for external judicial intervention.

Before delving into politics, Mr. Okolie had been a part of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in Delta State. However, driven by a fervent desire to uplift his community and bolster their standard of living, he decided to switch allegiances and joined the Labour Party. His actions were motivated solely by his aspiration to serve his constituency in a more impactful manner, unshackled by partisan constraints. He made it clear that his entry into politics was not to seek personal glory or gain, but to bring tangible positive change to the lives of the people he represented.

During the conference, Mr. Okolie passionately defended the credibility of the election that catapulted him into office. He asserted that it was the most transparent and free of any malpractices since Nigeria's return to democracy. With unwavering conviction, he declared that he had not engaged in any form of rigging or electoral misconduct. Relying on his faith, he called upon God as his witness to attest to the fairness of the electoral process that led to his victory. According to him, the constituents came out in vast numbers to cast their votes in his favor, underscoring the fact that he was the only candidate in the constituency who secured a victory without resorting to dishonest practices.

As the press conference continued, Mr. Okolie expressed his profound dissatisfaction with the tribunal's judgment and went further to voice his concerns about the dwindling faith in the judiciary. He feared that if the trend persisted, Nigerians might eventually resort to seeking justice from traditional or native shrines, viewing them as more reliable than the established legal system. This alarming sentiment underscored the gravity of the situation and the importance of resolving the matter swiftly and justly.

In a surprising twist, the Labour Party itself expressed shock and dismay over the tribunal's ruling. A statement released in Abuja and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, declared the party's disapproval of the court's interference in internal party affairs. According to Ifoh, the determination of party membership and the selection of standard bearers in elections were issues squarely within the purview of the political parties themselves, beyond the jurisdiction of the courts.

Following the tribunal's ruling, the seat for the Aniocha-Oshimili Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives was handed over to Mr. Ndudi Elumelu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The tribunal cited the fact that Mr. Okolie was not officially sponsored by the Labour Party, as he was not a member of the party at the time of the party's primary on May 28, 2022. Consequently, the tribunal declared Mr. Elumelu, who had secured the runner-up position in the February 25, 2023 National Assembly election, as the rightful winner of the contested seat.

With the political atmosphere in the constituency charged with tension and uncertainty, Mr. Ngozi Okolie's determination to appeal the tribunal's decision, coupled with the Labour Party's objection to the judgment, promises to be a legal battle that could shape the political landscape and set a crucial precedent in Nigeria's electoral processes. As the nation watches closely, the fate of Aniocha-Oshimili Federal Constituency hangs in the balance, awaiting a final resolution to this compelling political saga.