Excitement trails Ugwuanyi’s victory at tribunal

The judgment of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu delivered, last Friday, which upheld the election of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has elicited excitement across  the state.

The tribunal struck out the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress,APC, in the state, Okey Ezea, on the grounds that it was frivolous, lacked merit and against court processes.

The news of the tribunal’s decision elicited wild jubilation from anxious supporters of Ugwuanyi who thronged the court premises singing victory songs.

Ugwuanyi, on hearing of the news, drove round major streets of Enugu, accompanied by local government chairmen, to thank the people of the state for their support and prayers.

Reacting on the judgment, Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described it as a reflection of the wishes of the majority of the people. The party’s Publicity Secretary, Dr. Okey Eze, said the judgment had proved that Enugu is a PDP state and the governor was freely elected by the people. He added that the party was not expecting that the APC governorship candidate will go on appeal as the tribunal had proved that his case had no locus standi.

A former Commissioner for Inter-Ministerial Affairs in the state, Mr. Beloved-Dan Anike, who was visibly elated, said the judgment was a confirmation of what the people voted for while urging the governor to do those things for which the people reposed confidence on him.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu also congratulated Ugwuanyi on the victory, describing it as victory for the people of the state.