The member representing Isiukwuato Umunneochi federal constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives, Amobi Ogah has rejected the tribunal judgement which ordered his removal from the Green Chamber.
The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital on Wednesday nullified the election of Ogah of the Labour Party into the House.
It however, declared the former deputy Chief Whip of the House and incumbent Minister of State for Labour, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the National Assembly seat.
But in his reaction, the lawmaker vowed to appeal the judgement of the tribunal as soon as he conclude consultation with his lawyers, expressing confidence the appellate court would upturn the subsisting verdict.
Ogah in a statement said: “My attention has been drawn to the ruling of the election tribunal sitting in Umuahia, over my victory at the National Assembly polls “I want to state categorically and for the records that, I will appeal the judgment by the tribunal as soon as I conclude with my legal team.
“My opponent, whom I know, did not win the election and the judge cannot announce a result presented by the petitioner as concrete against the result presented by INEC. With the benefit of hindsight, this bizarre outcome is not totally strange as we had seen tendencies of clear compromise by the panel who discarded all known principles governing election adjudication and enunciated their own principles.
“Indeed, manifestation of it was writ large at the adoption of final addresses wherein the current Attorney General of of the Federation- Lateef Fagbemi SAN made comments suggesting underhand dealings with the Chairman of the Panel.
“I want to use this medium to call on my constituents who voted me, knowing my capacity to deliver dividends of democracy to them, to be calm law and abiding as I appeal the judgment delivered by the tribunal.”
The Chairman, House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, argued that he scored a total of 11,769 votes against his opponent who got a total of 8,752 votes, describing the judgement as miscarriage of justice, fairness and objectivity.
“Just to let the public know that the constituency I represent in the House is fully on ground to cater for her people and no amount of distraction will make me lose focus from delivering promises made to my people. The will and wish of the people that came out en mass to vote me in is not in doubt, hence my prompting to challenge the judgement.
“One wonders why a minister already serving after a woeful defeat at the Feb, 25th National Assembly poll could still be making frantic efforts to unseat the popular wish of the people in the electoral victory of labor party and it’s candidate.
“I am however confident that her desperation and mischievous attempt to scuttle the will of the people would be upturned by the justices of the appellate Court,” he said.
PlatinumPost recalls that the lawmaker had on 8th June, 2023 expressed his admiration for Tinubu saying he never knew he was so intelligent.
Ogah made the statement shortly after the president’s meeting with lawmakers-elect for the 10th Assembly at the State House.
He said, “Today is my best day. I’m so happy that I’m an elected member seeing my president talking. In fact, I’ve never known that this man is so intelligent.
“I never knew that this man is so prepared to serve this country. I saw the love, character, and charisma — the belief that Nigeria can be a better nation.”
The LP member-elect further pledged his support to the president, saying the interest of the country is above party affiliation.
“We have agreed that we are going towards government decision not minding I am of Labour Party. Now the party is not the issue. We are talking about building Nigeria. We are talking about the unity of Nigeria,” he stressed.
However, Ogah’s admiration for the president did not go down well with the party and its supporters as the leadership of LP condemned his action, with some describing him as a betrayal.