2nd June, 2015
Sam Obinna Ibe/Umuahia
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a certificate of return to Chijioke Nwachukwu, the winner of Umuahia South House of Assembly seat of Abia State in the 11 April, 2015 election.
Speaking to the P.M.NEWS Correspondent in Umuahia, eastern Nigeria, Nwachukwu who contested on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) said that after two weeks of tension and anxiety, INEC eventually reversed itself by issuing him his certificate of return at INEC Headquarters, Abuja on the 21 May 2015.
Nwachukwu, who recalled the emotional trauma he had to pass through in a bid to reclaim his certificate of return which was wrongly given to his defeated opponent, noting that the emotional shock he suffered in the process of recovering same could better be imagined than described.
He however called on the electoral umpire to be thorough in its dealings with candidates that stand for election, noting that such costly mistakes should not repeat itself again if the general public should repose confidence in the electoral body.
The member-elect commended his supporters, friends and well wishers who stood by him throughout the period the ordeal lasted while promising effective representation of his people.
INEC had issued certificate of return of Umuahia South State Constituency to defeated PDP candidate, Jerry Uzosike and Nwachukwu who rightly won the election raised the alarm through a petition he sent to INEC through his lawyer calling on it to reverse itself by ensuring that justice was done.
Meanwhile, Uzosike has gone to the election petition tribunal to challenge Nwachukwu’s victory on the grounds that the election was inconclusive in some wards which he considered his strongholds.
But Nwachukwu who was declared the winner has dismissed Uzosike’s claim, saying that going to court was Uzosike’s constitutional right and that nothing will come out of it because what he has in his possession is people’s mandate freely given to him by the people of Umuahia South.