Former Governor of Abia State and business mogul, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has advised opponents in the Abia North Senatorial election to respect the Electoral Act and show the spirit of sportsmanship during the rescheduled poll.
Dr. Kalu is the candidate of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in the rerun election ordered by the Court of Appeal.
He enjoined eligible voters to adhere strictly to the principle of one man, one vote as the nation’s future is dependent on people’s collective respect for the law.
In a statement the former governor personally signed, Kalu expressed profound gratitude to the indigenes and residents of Arochukwu, Bende, Umunneochi, Isiukwuato and Ohafia local government areas of Abia State for their hope and faith in the PPA and his candidature.
He said the judgment nullifying the Abia North Senatorial election was a welcome development, which has ushered in a new era in the history of the state which proved that justice could be delayed but not denied.
Dr. Kalu expressed optimism that he would win the election whose date is yet to be announced and appealed to his supporters, fans, associates, aides, followers and electorate in general not to give up as the future is bright with his candidature.
“As a firm believer in a fair, equitable and decent society, I would bring to bear my vast wealth of experience in the public and private spheres of life coupled with my network of contacts in pursuing a robust legislative agenda for the people of Abia North in particular and Nigeria in general.
“ Before venturing into politics, as a business person, I have been creating cross-border and illimitable job opportunities and wealth for the teeming populace of Nigeria. My philanthropic gestures know no bounds especially through the Orji Uzor Kalu Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on complementing government efforts in critical sectors of health, education and democratic governance. During my tenure as governor, we executed projects across the 17 local government areas of Abia State which had meaningful impact on the masses, especially the free health and free education schemes.”
He added: “At the March 28 election in Abia North, I was humbled and emotionally touched when I saw people queue up in an orderly manner despite the harsh weather on that sunny Saturday of voting.
“The poll had not ended when enemies of progress and electoral law violators deployed thugs, miscreants and other means at their disposal to steal the will of the people as ballot boxes were snatched , results mutilated. violence erupted and other illegal acts frustrated the election.
“It was a sad development but, we took solace in seeking redress at the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia chaired by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo. It was rather unfortunate again, as the same desperate and selfish politicians used stolen government funds to manipulate judgment in their favour.
“We, then, again, decided to appeal the tribunal’s judgment and as God would have it, the three-man courageous appellate team headed by Justice I.G. Mbaba described the March 28 election in Abia North as fraudulent, marred by high-level rigging and falsification of results and therefore, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh poll within 90 days after judgment.
The verdict of the court was welcomed with wild jubilation beyond the shores of Abia North as people thronged the major streets of Aba, Umuahia, Arochukwu, Igebere etc to celebrate the decision of the court.”
Dr. Kalu is the candidate of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in the rerun election ordered by the Court of Appeal.
He enjoined eligible voters to adhere strictly to the principle of one man, one vote as the nation’s future is dependent on people’s collective respect for the law.
In a statement the former governor personally signed, Kalu expressed profound gratitude to the indigenes and residents of Arochukwu, Bende, Umunneochi, Isiukwuato and Ohafia local government areas of Abia State for their hope and faith in the PPA and his candidature.
He said the judgment nullifying the Abia North Senatorial election was a welcome development, which has ushered in a new era in the history of the state which proved that justice could be delayed but not denied.
Dr. Kalu expressed optimism that he would win the election whose date is yet to be announced and appealed to his supporters, fans, associates, aides, followers and electorate in general not to give up as the future is bright with his candidature.
“As a firm believer in a fair, equitable and decent society, I would bring to bear my vast wealth of experience in the public and private spheres of life coupled with my network of contacts in pursuing a robust legislative agenda for the people of Abia North in particular and Nigeria in general.
“ Before venturing into politics, as a business person, I have been creating cross-border and illimitable job opportunities and wealth for the teeming populace of Nigeria. My philanthropic gestures know no bounds especially through the Orji Uzor Kalu Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on complementing government efforts in critical sectors of health, education and democratic governance. During my tenure as governor, we executed projects across the 17 local government areas of Abia State which had meaningful impact on the masses, especially the free health and free education schemes.”
He added: “At the March 28 election in Abia North, I was humbled and emotionally touched when I saw people queue up in an orderly manner despite the harsh weather on that sunny Saturday of voting.
“The poll had not ended when enemies of progress and electoral law violators deployed thugs, miscreants and other means at their disposal to steal the will of the people as ballot boxes were snatched , results mutilated. violence erupted and other illegal acts frustrated the election.
“It was a sad development but, we took solace in seeking redress at the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia chaired by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo. It was rather unfortunate again, as the same desperate and selfish politicians used stolen government funds to manipulate judgment in their favour.
“We, then, again, decided to appeal the tribunal’s judgment and as God would have it, the three-man courageous appellate team headed by Justice I.G. Mbaba described the March 28 election in Abia North as fraudulent, marred by high-level rigging and falsification of results and therefore, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh poll within 90 days after judgment.
The verdict of the court was welcomed with wild jubilation beyond the shores of Abia North as people thronged the major streets of Aba, Umuahia, Arochukwu, Igebere etc to celebrate the decision of the court.”
0 comments :
Post a Comment