Chris Uba seeks INEC’s consent to prosecute Ifeanyi Uba over alleged electoral offenses

Chris Uba, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Anambra South Senatorial district in the February 23 National Assembly elections is seeking the consent of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prosecute Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Peoples Party, YPP.

The PDP candidate Chris Uba is seeking INEC’s consent to grant his lawyer Charles Oguejiofor, the authority to prosecute Ifeanyi Ubah and others over alleged electoral offenses at the last election.

Recall that after INEC declared the YPP candidate winner of the election, Chris Uba applied to the Federal High Court in Awka for an order of mandamus, compelling INEC to prosecute its Returning Officer for the election, Prof M. N. Umenweke and Ifeanyi Ubah (listed as 2nd and 3rd respondents) for allegedly committing electoral offences during the election.

Chris Uba’s court application was followed by a ruling on March 27, 2019, by Justice I.B Gafai who ordered INEC to, within 14 days, conduct investigation into the criminal allegations raised by the PDP candidate in his application.

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Justice Gafai, in an enrolled order , said: “Upon the honourable court having delivered a considered judgement today (March 27, 2019), it is hereby ordered as follows: “The 1st respondent (INEC) shall, within 14 days from today, conduct or cause investigation into the criminal allegations of the applicant (Chris Uba).

“Prosecute, if the investigation result so warrants, the 3rd respondent (Ifeanyi Ubah) and any other person(s) implicated in its investigation.

“Where it considers it inexpedient to prosecute through its legal officers, consider, at its liberty, the appointment of the applicant’s solicitors in this suit, for the purpose of such prosecution.”

Chris Uba in his March 28, 2019 letter said his lawyers already possess enough facts with which to commence the prosecution of Ifeanyi Uba and all persons implicated in the alleged offences.

He added: “It is not in doubt that the reason the unscrupulous persons still engage in these electoral offenses is that they are hardly prosecuted in court for their heinous acts and so, nobody is deterred from engaging in such acts brazenly and with impunity on each succeeding election.

“We are ready, upon invitation, to meet you or any of your officials, to brief you on the extensive investigation we have carried out so far in the matter.”

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