Cross River Tribunal affirms Egbona as Abi/Yakurr Reps member

 

The election petition tribunal sitting in Calabar, Cross River State has dismissed the petition filed against Dr Alex Egbona, the member representing the Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, by Mr John Ifere(Sunday Okar Ifere), candidate of the Labour Party.

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Justice Phoebe Alvan Okoeonkwo who read the unanimous judgement on Friday said the petitioner could not prove any of the allegations levelled against Egbona. 

Ifere, who campaigned with the name John Ifere but went to court with a different name-Sunday Okar ifere, had told the tribunal that Egbona was not properly nominated by the APC for the election and was therefore not qualified to contest the election.

He alleged that the election was fraught with irregularities and in another, he urged the court to declare him winner of the same election.

He had also told the tribunal that the figures entered for Egbona in some of the wards were done in error and insisted that the votes were actually supposed to be his. 


The tribunal dismissed all the grounds of Ifere’s petition and consequently threw the entire petition away.

Reacting to the judgement, Egbona said he would not hold anything against Ifere for the distractions, but invited him to join him in moving the constituency forward. He said the judgement was expected because the people truly gave him their mandate on February 25.

He said: “On February 25 this year, you filed out in all polling units of our federal constituency to cast your vote for me, to enable me return to the House of Representatives and continue to represent you. From Bahumono to Agbo, from Agbo to Imabana, from Imabana to the entire Yakurr LGA, you cast your votes for continuity. 

“The win was convincing. It was a bold statement by you, from all parts of Abi and Yakurr Local Governments, that you preferred me to the other contestants. INEC, the electoral umpire, confirmed and announced this position when I was declared winner of the election and was consequently inaugurated for a second term.

“My opponent in the PDP, Hon. Eko Atu, saw the will of the people at work and immediately congratulated me without thinking twice. But Mr John Ifere decided to challenge your will and decision. He dragged me before the election petition tribunal, claiming that you did not vote for me. He even claimed that I was not properly nominated by my party, the APC, for the election.

I never contemplated that I was going to go through this phase again, considering the distraction and money involved in election cases. In 2019, I went through this route and I know what our constituency suffered as a result. But I had no choice than to follow him to the tribunal.

“At this point, I can only congratulate and thank you, my dear people, for standing by me from the beginning till this time. This victory is not just mine, but it belongs to God, you and all lovers of this constituency, who have prayed and showed solidarity throughout the period of this trial.

“Let me use this opportunity to appeal to Mr John Ifere to join me as I strive to build and attract development to this federal constituency. Whatever ideas he has that can move the constituency forward will be welcome. In fact, I do not hold anything against him for the distractions; afterall he was merely exercising his rights within the law. I therefore invite him and his people to come along so that together, we can work towards the development of our constituency.”