Rep. Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, expressed his satisfaction with the recent Court of Appeal decision that dismissed the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA) challenging his election victory. The court’s ruling affirmed his success in the February 25th election for Bende Federal constituency in Abia.
Levinus Nwabughiogu, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Deputy Speaker, released a statement in Abuja on Friday, praising the Court of Appeal’s decision. This development follows the prior dismissal of AA’s petition by the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Umuahia in August. The tribunal’s decision was based on the acknowledgment that the AA candidate, Ifeanyi Igbokwe, had not initiated any legal action against Kalu and had raised concerns of impersonation.
Igbokwe took further action by reporting the impersonation to both the police and the Department of State Services (DSS), urging the arrest and prosecution of those responsible. As the security agencies pursued the alleged impersonators, the AA lodged an appeal, creating a twist in the legal proceedings.
In a news conference, Igbokwe clarified that he had never filed an appeal against Kalu and appealed to the police to take action against the impersonators who had caused this confusion and legal challenge. The Court of Appeal’s final decision serves as a significant milestone in this electoral dispute, upholding Rep. Benjamin Kalu’s election victory.
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In a crucial ruling delivered on Oct. 19, the appeal court dismissed the matter, deeming it an “academic exercise.”
The court also said that the time limit specified by Section 285 of the Constitution for the appeal had expired, thus lacking the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
In response to the victory, Kalu, through speaking through Nwabughiogu, lauded the judiciary for the exceptional legal acumen in handling the case.
He reaffirmed his unwavering dedication to his duties, emphasising that the judgment marked the conclusion of the legal disputes arising from the 2023 general election.
He said this would further fuel his commitment to serving his Bende federal constituency and Nigeria as a whole.