APC to appeal against election tribunals’ rulings in Cross River

It’S faith in the judiciary as the last hope for the common man notwithstanding, the Cross River chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the judgments of the election tribunals in the state, describing them as “a rape of justice.”

Briefing newsmen yesterday in Calabar, the state party chairman, Sir John Ochala, submitted: “We wish to state that we still have confidence in the judiciary to deliver justice in the face of travesty. Let me also say without equivocation that the verdicts of the tribunals were a complete rape or travesty of justice.”

He went on: “The Supreme Court has always pointed out in several instances and judgments that exclusion remains an election matter, but for the tribunal (s) to throw away our petitions on grounds of locus further confirms the travesty we are talking about. The verdicts were all fraught with errors except that of Hon. Iwara who contested the House of Assembly seat for Abi State Constituency.

“The judgments were fraught with errors even as the tribunals approbated and reprobated. For us as a party, we find this as a grave danger to our fledgling democracy. Our party was robbed of victories both at the polls and the tribunal unfortunately by a combined effort of the electoral umpire and security operatives.

“It was even sickening that the only hope of justice, the judiciary, also joined the fray. We condemn the obnoxious verdicts in totality.”

Ochala further said: “We are appealing against the obnoxious judgments, just as we are upbeat that justice will come our way.”

The main opposition party in the state also condemned “recent sporadic shootings at the residence of our only House of Representatives member, Dr. Alex Egbona, with the intention of killing him. His younger brother was also attacked in a similar circumstance by men suspected to be hirelings or paid agents.”

The chairman added: “The act is vehemently condemned by us. On no account should Dr. Egbona and his sibling be subjected to such a traumatising situation. We call on the law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.”