Ebonyi Bye Election: PDP candidate vows to appeal dismissed petition against tribunal

The Ebonyi South Senatorial Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the February 3rd 2024 By-election, Silas Onu has vowed to appeal the ruling of the Tribunal that struck out his petition against the Judges over alleged bias, injustice and lack of fair hearing in his election petition.

The ruling was sequel to a petition filed to the President of the Court of Appeal and copied to the Tribunal Panel seeking their recusal from the bye-election Tribunal by the PDP candidate.

The three-man panel headed by Justice H.N Kunaza dismissed Onu’s petition for lack of merit.

Delivering the ruling by the Tribunal sitting in Abakaliki, Justice Kunaza who was flanked by Justice Bassey Bassey Nkanang and Justice M.O Agboola, said the PDP candidate failed to prove allegations of lack of fair hearing, bias and injustice in his petition.

Meanwhile, the petitioner noted that he would immediately appeal the ruling, insisting that he had lost confidence in the ability of the panel to dispense justice in the election petition by the panel.

Onu queried why the Panel didn’t suspend all actions to await the decision of the President of the Court of Appeal, saying: “I will also make a personal letter to the panel to know why they are more interested in the election petition than me and why they aren’t staying all actions to await the decision of the President of the Court of Appeal. We will also appeal their ruling. I don’t have any confidence in the panel. They have to go, for justice to prevail in our election petitions”.

Onu’s counsel, Caleb Onwe said he would immediately apply for the certified true copy of the ruling and study it for urgent actions.

Meanwhile, counsel to Senator Anthony Okorie and second respondent, Roy Nweze commended the ruling but expressed dissatisfaction that no cost was awarded against the petitioner to serve as a deterrent to anyone who tries to malign the integrity of Judges.

Nweze said: “Even if the tribunal had chosen to recuse itself, that is nothing to me because there’s a type of case you will have, you wouldn’t even mind your enemy to decide it. The petition is like a used toilet tissue”.

The counsel to APC, Jerry Ezenyi added that the ruling was excellent and perfect.

He also added that he wouldn’t have felt bad even if the tribunal had decided to recuse itself as petitioned.

Ezenyi said: “The ruling is perfect and excellent. The tribunal’s reason is sound both in law and facts.