By Joshua Chibuzo Andrew, Owerri
Imo Election Petition Tribunal sitting at Magistrate Court Orlu road Owerri, the Imo state capital has been relocated to the High Court Complex, opposite Shopping Mall, Maraba Nyanya, Nasarawa state.
The Publicity Secretary of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Owerri branch, Daniel Odiba, disclosed this in a statement signed by him.
The statement partly reads, “This is to notify all lawyers, litigants that the National/state House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Owerri, Imo state, has been relocated to the High Court Complex, Opposite Shopping Malls, Maraba Nyanya, Nasarawa state.”
The Owerri branch Chairman of NBA, Ugochukwu Allinor, confirmed the development, saying it was the information they just received.
It would be recalled that the Magistrate Court on Tuesday last week received a threat letter from unknown gunmen who warned that all cases of Election Petitions ongoing in the Court be discontinued and they would have themselves to blame.
The threat letter reads, “no further tribunal cases should be entertained starting from today June 20, 2023. But if the Court wants to dare us, they should have themselves to blame.”
The development caused the tribunal judges, litigants and other occupants of the court to flee the premises for fear of the unknown.
A candidate of Imo state House of Assembly who claimed that his mandate was stolen by the APC described the relocation as a good omen, because, according to him, the state government was already influencing the process in Owerri.
“The APC government may find it difficult to have their way in far away Nasarawa state. I do not think the relocation was to their favour because they would prefer Owerri where their paymaster and Governor of Imo state would take control as usual.
“The truth is that all the House of Assembly candidates under APC and those of National Assembly did not win elections. They were all declared winners in error by the INEC which was highly induced with money.
“I am very much convinced that all of them will loose their seats one by one as the court proceedings commence in Nasarawa state soon.”
Speaking with an APC federal House of representatives member on the sudden relocation, he said, “if they like, let them relocate it to Chattam House in London, APC victory is signed, sealed and delivered.”
“An Igbo adage says, the person that you beat everyday, you will not ask God to help you in fighting him. They did well by relocating it to Abuja where i serve as a federal lawmaker. It will be less capital intensive for me conveying my lawyers from Owerri to Abuja because a good number of them reside here in Abuja.
