ABIA: Defeated senator Ohuabunwa drags poll winner, ex-Gov Kalu to court

A serving senator, Mao Ohuabunwa, whose bid to get re-election was dashed during the February 23 National Assembly election, has dragged the winner of the poll, former Governor Orji Kalu to court.

He is asking a Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State, to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising Kalu as senator to represent Abia North in the 9th Senate.

Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had defeated Ohuabunwa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But the PDP candidate has begged the court to stop INEC from presenting a certificate of return to the former governor.

Ohuabunwa campaign organisation said in a statement that the senator decided to challenge his defeat in court after the electoral body refused to act on his two petitions dated February 24 and 25, demanding that a run-off be conducted in the senatorial district in accordance with Section 33 (e) Rule 17 E (e) of the commission’s guideline.

“As law abiding citizens, we have today filed a suit before a Federal High Court , Umuahia, Abia State , asking it to restrain INEC from issuing a certificate of return to the All Progressives Congress’ candidate , Chief Orji Uzor Kalu , in the said inconclusive election in Abia North.

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“The PDP candidate , Senator Ohuabunwa, in the exparte motion filed by his lead counsel , Chief Ukpai Ukairo , is asking the court to stop the commission from recognising the APC candidate as duly elected .

“The organisation had earlier in a petition to the commission insisted that it would amount to double standard for INEC to issue certificate of return to Kalu despite our petition,” the statement read.

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