Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the November 11, 2023 election in Imo State, Senator Athan Achonu has rejected the judgement delivered by the tribunal.
Achonu said he is heading for an appeal at the appellate court to get justice.
He said for the court to say he couldn’t substantiate the claims of the use of fake electoral materials and election rigging in the gubernatorial election is an affirmation of illegality in the electoral process.
At a press conference in his Abuja residence at the weekend, Achonu said he would pursue the case in the appeal and even if it means getting to the Supreme Court, he will do so.
“I received the judgment of the Imo State Election Petition Tribunal with so much sadness and disappointment. The Tribunal had in its judgment dismissed my petition stating that I was unable to prove that there was substantial noncompliance with the Electoral Act in the conduct of the 11th November 2023 Imo State Governorship Election.
“According to the tribunal, my inability to prove that there was substantial noncompliance with the Electoral Act in that election, stemmed from my nonproduction of the BVAS Machine before the Tribunal.
“Besides the fact that the production of the BVAS machine before the tribunal was the responsibility of INEC both as a party to the petition and as a public institution, I had endeavoured to ensure that the BVAS was brought before the tribunal by obtaining an order from the same Tribunal compelling INEC to produce the BVAS machine before the tribunal,” he said.
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