The Appeal court sitting in Abuja has upheld the decision of the Kogi State National Assembly election petition tribunal, which gave victory to Hon David Idris Zacharias as the validly elected member for Idah Federal constituency in the February national assembly election.
Delivering the judgement of the appeal brought by candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Emmanuel Egwu, Justice Atinuke Akomolafe Wilson dismissed the appeal on the grounds that the petitioners failed to prove the allegations of certificate forgery and non-compliance with the Electoral Act leveled against the respondent.
On the issue of non-compliance with electoral guidelines, Justice Atinuke said there was no witness called from INEC or the Police to testify on any irregularities such as ballot snatching and stuffing just as there was no proof of certificate forgery by way of tendering the correct one. The court therefore dismissed the petition and urged the parties to bear their costs.
Reacting to the judgement, Hon. David Zacharias who is a member of House Representative Committee of Appropriation, Ecological fund and IDPs, urged his opponent, Emmanuel Egwu of the PDP, to join him in the task of building what he called an “enviable Idah federal constituency” through quality representation.
“For Hon. Emmanuel Egwu, I commend his decision to pursue the matter to a logical conclusion, which stops at the Appeal Court. In the spirit of service to our people, I call on him to join the moving train so that collectively, we can raise the bar for our people.”
The lawmaker who said although the period of litigation has seriously distracted him from a number of things he would have done better within the period in review, noted that he will be more focused to attending to the needs of his constituents than ever.
He appreciated those he called critical stakeholders that played important roles in his emergence with words of assurance to them that he would not disappoint them.
He said: “I will continue to count on the understanding of all constituents regardless of political, party, social, religious and economic divides. The politics and its related issues are over, its time for the real business and I will do it with all my might and wisdom”.
The lawmaker commended his constituents for their support and assured them of effective representation at the green chambers with the view of attracting dividend of democracy to the constituency.
Zacharias was emphatic that the court would ever be remembered as the sacred temple of justice for speedily and expeditiously doing justice to the petition.
Zacharias said the voice of the people, which was spoken laud through the court, has further proven that the voice of the people is the voice of God.
