An order has been given by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal, Monica Mensem, to relocate the Ebonyi State Election Petition Tribunal to Abuja, with immediate effect.
This was announced by the Secretary of the tribunal, Nyior Sekulla, in Abakaliki on Wednesday.
According to him, the tribunal office at the Ebonyi State Judiciary Headquarters, in Abakaliki has been shut down since Wednesday, owing to the directive.
Sekulla stated that all processes relating to matters before the tribunal would continue at Abuja.
“In compliance with the HPCA directives, the petitioners, counsel to parties, and general public in s hereby informed via this medium that, the EPT sitting here in Abakaliki thereby cease to operate in Abakaliki as at 26-04-23; filings of processes, taking of proceedings, etc. shall hence, forth continue at Abuja,” he stated.
Mr Henry, who stated that it was not within his powers to speak on the reasons, why the decision was taken, when he was asked why the tribunal was moved to Abuja, said Rivers state and one other state, were also affected by the decision.
The governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressive Grand Alliance in Ebonyi State, Ifeanyi Odii, and Bernard Odoh, had both rejected the declaration of Francis Nwifuru as the winner of the March 18 governorship election, in the state.
The APC candidate, who is the current speaker of the state house of assembly, and anointed candidate of Governor David Umahi, was declared the winner of the election, and his declaration as the governor-elect, has witnessed widespread criticism in the political circle, with people insinuating that the process of the election was not fair.
However, reactions are still expected from different political parties and the electorates in the state, as to why the tribunal was being transferred to Abuja, when the election was being conducted in Ebonyi state.
