Umahi: ‘It is illegal to conduct fresh election for Ebonyi South zone’ – LP’s Okorie tells INEC
The Ebonyi South Senatorial candidate for Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Linus Okorie, has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to desist from conducting a fresh election for the zone, while the matter is still pending in court.
Recall that Okorie, who participated in the February 25, 2023 National Assembly Election, had dragged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and David Umahi to court, for allegedly rigging, manipulating and perpetrating other irregularities in the election.
Okorie, who spoke to newsmen in Abakaliki, made this known while reacting to the rumours making the rounds that INEC is allegedly planning to conduct a fresh election to replace the former governor, David Umahi, who resigned his position in the senate to become a minister of works.
DAILY POST reports that campaign posters of personalities, including that of Umahi’s younger brother, Austin, have flooded the town, declaring interest to contest in the alleged rumoured Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone election.
He said, “Today, the tribunal is sitting to adopt all the final addresses of all the parties. After today, they (Tribunal) will reserve judgement, that may be next week.
“If that judgement is given, if the court decides that it was Umahi who won that election, then two things will happen; if nobody goes to Court of Appeal to challenge it, INEC will fix a date for a new election, in which case, anybody can participate, but if the court didn’t rule that way, INEC can do nothing.
“There will be no election until the final determination of the 2023 Ebonyi South Senatorial election in court, starting from the tribunal and maybe to the Court of Appeal, if any party feels dissatisfied with whatever the tribunal rules. The only person that cannot appeal now, is David Umahi because he is no longer in the process,” he stated.
