‘Anaocha, others result sheets not signed by INEC’

Sylvanus Eze, Awka - 18.03.2008

The member representing Anaocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Mrs Uche Ekwunife, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has affirmed that the result sheets on which she was declared winner of the April election failed to meet the Electoral Act 2006 requirements.

Ekwunife, who is the fifth respondent, was testifying last weeekend in a petition by Chief Mike Nkwocha of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) who is challenging her declaration as winner of the election that never held either on 21st or 22nd April 2007 and seeking for the cancellation and conduct of a fresh poll.

The respondent had, while being examined and cross examined by her lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu and INEC Counsel, C.C.Okah, claimed that the alleged April 21, 2007 election was rescheduled for 22nd April, 2007 when thugs disrupted the poll.

But under cross examination by cousel to the petitioner, the 5th respondent failed to convince the Justice James Abiriyi-led Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Awka why none of the results of the entire wards in Dunukofia Local Government Area of the Constituency was signed by the presiding Officers to authenticate that election took place on Sunday, April 22, 2007.

The controversial winner of the election threw the court into confusion when she claimed that she could not read the certified true copies of the unsigned result sheets brought from the tribunal's records which were at variance with a doctored version she believed was signed and had planned to tender before the tribunal.