The mayor of Aba South local government area of Abia State, Obilor Anyanwu, has invited his opponents in the November 2024 local government election to work with him.
Anyanwu spoke to LEADERSHIP Friday after the State Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Umuahia, the state capital, validated his victory against Christian Okoli for lacking merit.
Okoli of the All Progressives Grand Alliance had challenged the victory of Anyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party before the three-member tribunal headed by Uguru Eme Uguru.
“We will welcome them with open hands. Let them come with their wealth of experience, their new ideas . Let us make Aba South a better place for all of us,“ he said.
“It‘s an Aba South thing. It is not an Anyanwu thing. Aba South is not a place where you talk about party politics now. We‘re talking about the canopy that has to do with the people,“ he said.
Speaking further, the mayor noted that the verdict reflected the will of the people, hence the need for the invitation.
Delivering the verdict, the tribunal held that the petitioner failed to prove his allegation that Anyanwu and his deputy, Martin Azubuike, were unqualified for the election.
It also dismissed allegations of noncompliance with the Electoral Act levelled against the State Independent Electoral Commission, and rigging of the results in the 35 wards of the area.
