ABIA —The Abia State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has rejected the court of appeal judgment sacking Darlington Nwokocha as the senator representing Abia Central, stating that the litigation was based on Section 77 of the Constitution which no court can adjudicate on.
Abia State LP chairman Ceekay Igara made the remarks at the party’s secretariat in Umuahia, the Abia State capital while addressing journalists on Sunday evening after the court judgment.
Expressing the party’s disappointment with the outcome of the court, Igara said that the judiciary is expected to always be the last hope of the common man, explaining that there are a plethora of judgments from the Supreme Court, which bars adjudication on issues of political party internal affairs.
The party chairman further said the Labour Party in Abia State is deeply worried about the recent judgment that emanated from the appeal court, one of the most critical embodiments of democratic institutions saddled with the responsibility of dispensing justice without fear or favor.
While expressing shock over what it described as the rascality of the judiciary, he explained that the judgment which upturned the verdict of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal dismissing the election of the member representing Isikwuato Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia State Amobi Ogah in Umuahia hinged its decision on Section 77 of the Constitution.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Nwokocha as the winner of the election with a total of 92,116 votes. Augustine Akobundu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second with 41,477 votes but challenged the declaration in court.
