2015: Abia PDP Chieftain Lauds Court Judgment on Jonathan

*Scores Orji high on road rehabilitation in Aba

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Hon. Edwin Okoro has hailed the recent court declaration which qualified President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2015 presidential election.

In a chat with journalists in Aba, Okoro stated that “the court is the one saddled with the duty to interpret the constitution or the law.”

According to the Abia governorship candidate of Mega Progressive Peoples Party, (MPPP) in the 2011 general elections, since the court has cleared Jonathan, he has no legal stumbling blocks on his way”. He therefore advised President Jonathan to ensure that he uses the remaining part of his tenure to better the lives of Nigerians who voted massively for him.

Recall that an Abuja High Court recently ruled that the President was free to contest the 2015 presidential election. While delivering judgment in the case filed by Mr. Cyracus Njoku in which he challenged Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the election, the court ruled that the President’s assumption of office as a result of the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua was caused by “doctrine of necessity”, which was adopted by the National Assembly.

Njoku had filed the case against the President, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the PDP, seeking an order to prevent Jonathan from contesting the 2015 presidential election, but Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi declined to accede to the request of the plaintiff, ruling that since the President did not emerge president through a by-election after Yar’Adua’s death, he was free to contest.

The judge then ruled that President Jonathan’s tenure started on May 29, 2011 when he took the oath of office and not on May 6, 2010, when he assumed office after Yar’Adua’s death.

On the recent merger of the leading four political opposition parties in the country which gave birth to All Progressives Congress (APC), he said that APC is not a threat to the PDP but would only make the latter to sit up.

“It is a welcome development as it will make PDP to sit up and not take Nigerians for granted. PDP will not relax after elections any longer,” he stated.

He commended Gov. Theodore Orji for road rehabilitations going on at Ehere, New Umuahia, Obikabia, Omoba , Eziukwu and other roads in Aba.

“I am really impressed. Let the governor take advantage of this dry season to do more roads. I am calling on Abians to support his government by paying their taxes and performing other civic obligations.”

“Let Abians come and invest in the state and build the economy of the state. They can build tank farms, refineries, estates and industries, which will help employ Abians and boost the economy as the governor cannot do it alone,” he stated.