Eleven political parties that participated in the November 6 and 9 governorship election in Anambra State have filed petitions challenging the outcome of the exercise.
Surajo Gusau, Secretary of the 2021 Anambra Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the governor-elect, Prof. Charles Soludo, and his party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, were declared winner of the election.
Gusau however said in Awka, the Anambra State capital, the timeline for filing notice of petitions had elapsed.
He said members of the three-man panel were expected to arrive in Anambra State following the filing of the petitions and that the fears that the panel would sit in Abuja was not correct.
This is against the backdrop that petitioners had appealed to the President of the Court of Appeal to allow the tribunal sit in Awka as the cost and inconveniences of going to Abuja were enormous.
NAN reports that the All Progressives Congress with its candidate, Senator Andy Uba, were among those who approached the tribunal with petitions.
Also, the Action Democratic Party and its candidate, Prince Afam Ume-Ezeoke, in their petition prayed the tribunal for the nullification of the election on the ground that the Bi-Modal Accreditation Verification System was not in the Electoral Act.
The Accord Party with its candidate, Dr. Godwin Maduka, also called for the nullification of the election on the ground of irregularities.
Meanwhile, Ifeatu Obiokoye, Special Adviser to Governor Wille Obiano on Political Matters, told reporters that APGA was not losing sleep over the petitions, adding that a particular party was sponsoring some lesser political parties to go to tribunal.
Obiokoye said: “Our party APGA won the election and we are prepared to defend our mandate at the tribunal.”
