Contrary to the unwillingness of governorship candidates and major political parties to challenge the return of the incumbent, Governor Willie Obiano, in the November 18 Anambra State gubernatorial election, African Peoples Party (APP) has approached the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to sack Obiano.
In a petition with reference number EPT/AN/Gov/01/2017, dated December 7, 2017 and filed before the Tribunal, APC prays the tribunal to nullify the election and order for fresh one on the basis of substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The petitioners further averred that they will lead evidence through United States-based forensic experts led by Joe Mckenzie and four other senior lawyers (SANs) based in Nigeria to prove its case, stressing that the election was characterized by multiple thumb-printing of ballot papers.
APP further alleged that there was prevalence of false accreditations, manipulations, bribery of electoral officers, adoption of sundry corrupt practices, including multiple voting, as well as, over voting.
The party declared that its conviction that Governor Obiano’s purported election for a second term in office was a stillborn that can only but produce a caretaker government pending the determination of the suit.
In its writ of summons APP joined Mr. Willie Obiano, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and INEC, as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents respectively in the suit.
The plaintiff noted that the Anambra governorship election on November 18, 2017, there were rampant cases of ballot box snatching and stuffing, while political thugs/agents of the 1st and 2nd respondents manipulated result sheets.
The petitioners added: “the 3rd respondent through its agents, serving as Electoral Officers, Supervisory Officers, Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers, otherwise known as election officials in this petition, connived with the 1st and 2nd respondents through its agents, cronies and thugs to admit and record the illegally obtained election results from the grossly mutilated results sheets, contrary to the electoral act.”
