Abia Central Pry: I was saved by God and the Electoral Act 2022 – Onuigbo

The member representing Ikwuano/ Umuahia North /Umuahia South Federal Constituency Rep. Samuel Onuigbo, says God has vindicated him, following his victory at the Supreme Court, Abuja, last Friday.

Onuigbo who disclosed this while interacting with newsmen shortly after his Sunday worship with some churches in Umuahia North and Ikwuano local government areas of Abia said he visited the churches with his family and friends, to thank God for vindicating him over the primary election that held on the 28th and 29th May, 2022.

“I went to those churches in gratitude to God for vindicating me and for making it possible for this matter to be resolved,” he said.

The elated lawmaker said the Electoral Act 2022 also contributed immensely to his victory at the apex adding that he said that he probably could not have gotten his position if not for the new act.

Dailytrailnews reports that the apex court had on Jan. 27, affirmed the finding of the Appeal Court Owerri, that Onuigbo was the legitimately elected candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) for Abia Central senatorial district.

The court judgement put to rest the protracted legal tussle for the ticket for the 2023 elections between him and Chief Emeka Atuma.

Onuigbo said that the five-man panel looked at the matter strongly and aligned themselves with the provisions of the act, especially the finding on Section 84:1.

He said: “Section 84:1 clearly transfers the responsibility of monitoring and reporting to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) firmly and mandatorily, which helped in saving my position.

“Otherwise, if it were the old order where you will do election, go home and the party administrators will now do substitution, I probably couldn’t not have gotten my position.

He explained that he contested and won the election that was duly monitored by INEC, with Chief Henry Ikoh, who was later appointed a minister by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“But Atuma who never participated in the election started laying claim to the ticket and dragged me to seven courts in eight months.”

“It was not an easy exercise but the court’s decision has affirmed my confidence in the judiciary,” he said.

The two-term legislator who is from the same Ikwuano council area with Atuma, said he had extended his hand of fellowship to him, and “asked him (Atuma) to join me to help our people to develop.”

According to Onuigbo, I called him (Atuma) twice on the same day and also sent him a text me message as well as spoke to some persons to talk to him so that we can work together as one group.

The former Abia commissioner urged his supporters to work hard for his victory in the coming election, saying that there were verifiable pieces of evidence of his track records.

Earlier, the officiating ministers of those churches prayed for his victory in the Feb. 25 National Assembly election.