Appeal Court Verdict: NASS Member pledges to assist his opponent recoup expended electioneering funds
Clement Nnachi ( Abakaliki)
Sequel to the Court of Appeal Enugu Division ruling last Friday, that declared Comrade Chinedu Ogah (OON) of the All Progressive Congress ( APC) winner and member-elect for Ikwo/Ezza south Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State in the National Assembly, the lawmaker has pledged to assist his defeated opponent Hon Laz Ogbeh of the People Democratic Party (PDP) recoup the funds expended in the course of electioneering campaign.
Comrade Ogah made the assertion at his residence Abakaliki the state capital while fielding questions from newsmen on the outcome of the Appeal Court verdict that upheld the judgement of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal which nullified the declaration of Chief Laz Ogbeh of the PDP winner of the February 23rd election in the State, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The National Assembly member -elect disclosed that through out the period of the petition at the tribunal and Court of Appeal, he was optimistic that he would emerge victorious having won the election convincingly.
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He commended the Judiciary for upholding the verdict of the people of his constituency
stating that “the judiciary is the last hope of the common man, it stand for justice, the judiciary believes on what is right, upholding the verdict of my constituents that elected me in February 23rd 2019 National Assembly election,”
“I will assist Chief Laz Ogbeh in the sense that I would assist him to recoup most of the money he spent during the electioneering period and the duration of this petition,”
” I knew that I won the election convincingly, the masses voted for me, my mission and vision in the National Assembly is to offer quality representation to my constituents, ensure that my State gets its quota in the sharing of federal appointments, bring positive changes to my constituency”he reiterated.
He promised to offer quality representation and sponsor bills and motions that would ensure the good governance of the constituency and the country at large.
“I can not be a Legislator and Ecological fund would be elusive to my constituency, there is no way I would be in the National Assembly and some parts of my constituency would be engulfed in communal/boundary crisis without proffering solution”
Comrade Ogah urged his constituents to come together and ensure harmonious and peaceful coexistence among themselves stressing that such unity would accelerate the pace of development in the area.
It would be recalled that Comrade Chinedu Ogah had filed a petition at the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abakaliki challenging INEC declaration of Chief Laz Ogbeh of the PDP as the winner of the February 23rd House of Representative election for Ikwo /Ezza South Federal Constituency .
The Tribunal had unanimously nullified INEC declaration of Chief Laz Ogbeh victory and declared Comrade Ogah as the winner of the election prompting Ogbeh to file an appeal at the Court of Appeal Enugu Division which upheld the ruling of the tribunal.
With this development , Comrade Chinedu Ogah is now the only elected All Progressive Congress ( APC) National Assembly member from Ebonyi State out of the six representatives elected to represent Federal Constituencies of the State.
