The Abia State governorship election tribunal sitting in Umuahia has fixed October 6, 2023, as the date for the judgement on the petition brought by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the March 18 Abia State governorship election, Okey Ahaiwe.
The date was chosen after the lawyers to the petitioner and the respondents had adopted their written addresses.
In his address, Counsel to Ahiwe, Professor Paul Ananaba, SAN, urged the tribunal to affirm the petition and grant all the prayers contained therein, which according to him, are to remove Governor Alex Otti from office and declare his client, Okey Ahaiwe as the governor.
A .J. Owonikoko, SAN, counsel to Otti, opposed PDP’s subpoenaed witness, Samuel Oduntan’s appearance and testimony, maintaining that Oduntan was incompetent to appear in court on the matter.
Owonikoko cited the presidential election petition tribunal ruling on Atiku vs INEC which was delivered on Wednesday, saying that the documents presented before the tribunal by Samuel Oduntan were immaterial.
He also opposed the prayers filed by the petitioner.
Owonikoko prayed the court to dismiss the PDP petition and uphold the victory of his client, Alex Otti.
PDP governorship candidate, Okey Ahaiwe, his running mate, Jasper Uche and other PDP top shots were in court to show solidarity to their man, Ahaiwe.
The governorship election petition tribunal had earlier this week fixed the same October 6 as the date to rule on the petition brought by Ikechi Emenike, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, against Governor Alex Otti
