The election petitions tribunal sitting in Awka, Anambra State capital, on Friday, pronounces Afam Ogene as the member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives victorious in Anambra State.
INEC declared the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections inconclusive in Ogbaru Federal Constituency. Therefore, a supplementary election was held in the constituency on April 15; the LP, PDP, and APC candidates scored 10,851; 10,619; and 10,155 votes respectively which INEC declared Afam Ogene who contested the labor party candidate as the winner after scoring the highest votes out of the total votes cast.
The PDP candidate, Onyema, who had ruled for about three tenures, went to the tribunal to challenge Ogene’s victory.
Afam Ogene after the Judgement thanked the Ogbaru people for their selfless support, encouragement, and prayers, and promised to provide quality representation for the people.
He did not hesitate to extend hands of fellowship to fellow contestant Onyema who who was the PDP candidate, and advised him to accept the spirit of sportsmanship. Afam described the Tribunal verdict as a “true validation of the will of the people and the grace of God.”
He said: “I want to specially appreciate God for His faithfulness in always ensuring that the light which He lit for the people would never be extinguished by the shenanigans of those who seek to exalt themselves against His will and His divine agenda for ndi Ogbaru.
“I also want to sincerely appreciate the entire Ogbaru people, irrespective of political or social divides, for their steadfastness in working and praying for the good of Ogbaru.
“We are remarkably a peaceful people, and should not allow politics or personal interest of the political class or politically exposed people to divide or destroy us.
“The Ogbaru Federal Constituency is not a private estate of anyone or group of individuals. Leadership positions are entrusted to individuals at a time, to work for, and protect the interest of the people. It should never be a do-or-die affair, because it is only God that determines who should lead the people at any given time.
“I have won election in the past. And I had also lost election in 2015 as an incumbent representative. But I just moved on and waited for God’s own time. I didn’t take my opponent to the court, because I considered that doing so would hurt the interest of Ogbaru as tribunal distractions would impact adversely on the quality of representation that the people deserve.
“It is in this light that I pay glowing tribute to my brother and APGA candidate in the election, Arinze Awogu, for electing to align with the people’s will, by refusing to go to the Tribunal.
“Ogbaru deserves the best and should demand for the best, but such legitimate aspiration would be jeopardised, should we continue to allow politics of acrimony to erode our oneness and the political space.
“Once again, I congratulate the good people of Ogbaru, because with this vital victory, we shall now concentrate fully in the service of the people, in the true sense of representative democracy. I also say kudos to the judiciary, whose judgement remarkably aligns with the will of the Ogbaru electorate,” Ogene disclosed.
