Senator Elisha Abbo has reacted to his removal from the Senate by the verdict of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Monday, saying the judgement which voided his election in favour of the candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) was politically-motivated to punish him for not supporting the emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President.
LEADERSHIP reports that the appellate court had voided the election of the Adamawa North Senator on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and in his place declared the PDP candidate, Amos Yohana, as the rightful winner of the February 25 National Assembly elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Abbo winner of the February 25, 2023 election but Yohanna rejected the result and headed for the Tribunal.
The Tribunal, in its judgement, dismissed Yohanna’s petition for lacking in merit and affirmed Abbo’s election.
Dissatisfied, the PDP’s candidate, through his counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN), approached the Appeal Court.
The Court of Appeal, after hearing arguments from both parties, agreed with Usman that based on Section 137 of the Electoral Act, 2022, the results tendered clearly showed that there was no compliance with the Electoral Act.
The court, thereafter, deducted the invalid votes from the parties and found that Yohanna and PDP won the election by majority of lawful votes cast.
The three-member panel presided over by Justice C.E. Nwosu-Iheme, in a judgement, ordered INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Abbo and issue same to Yohanna as validly elected lawmaker for the senatorial district.
But, reacting to the Appeal Court’s judgement, Abbo said four other Senators, who worked against the emergence of Akpabio as Senate President had been targeted for removal from the Red Chamber through the court.
In an interview with journalists on Monday in Abuja, Abbo specifically mentioned Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC Abia North) as the next target for removal from the Senate.
“I have it from a reliable source that myself and four other Senators within the fold of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will be removed from the Senate through rulings from the courts, all because of working against the emergence of Akpabio as President of the 10th Senate.
“I won’t mention the names of all the four other ones targeted but the next in line is Senator Orji Uzor Kalu,” he said.
He wondered how with over 11,000 votes margin of victory he had above his closest rival, Amos Yohanna of the PDP, in the election, the Appeal Court upturned his victory.
“The court judgement is strange and the judiciary needs to please remain the last hope of the common man,” Abbo said.
He, however, appealed to his supporters to remain calm, vowing to recontest in 2027.
