Victorious Nnamchi
Member representing Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency in Enugu state Prof. Paul Nnamchi, of the Labour Party (LP), has pledged to serve his constituents with dedication, adding that he will continue to work for the well-being of the country.
Prof. Nnamchi made the pledge while reacting to the Appeal Court judgment on Friday upholding his victory in the National Assembly election held on February 25, 2023.
SummitNews recalls that a three-man National Assembly election tribunal sitting in Enugu had early in September voided his election on the ground that he didn’t resign from his previous job in accordance with the law, and subsequently declared Hon. Cornelius Nnaji, of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), winner of the poll.
But ruling on the appeal filed by Prof. Nnamchi, the three-man Court of Appeal panel sitting in Lagos, unanimously agreed with the appellant that the tribunal’s judgment was a miscardayriage of justice and wrong interpretation of the law in respect of the matter.
The justices ruled that the trial tribunal erred in law when it nullified the election on the ground that Prof. Nnamchi failed to resign as a staff of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) six months before the election.
The Appeal Court panel also held that based on the evidences before the court, the appellant resigned his previous job three months before the election in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which is superior to the 1976 bylaws of the University.
The court, therefore, upheld the appeal as meritorious and voided the tribunal judgment.
A statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Sam Nwanze, quoted Prof Nnamchi, as thanking God for his victory at the Appeal Court, as well as expressed gratitude to his lawyers “for a job well done.”.
His words, “I thank the Almighty God for restoring the mandate given to me by the good people of my constituency. I scored above 50000 votes, while the opposition candidate of the PDP who scored 16160 votes and he thinks he could snatch my victory through the back door but the God I serve said no.
“I gave notice more than five months before my resignation from UNN.
“I also thank the Justices of the Appeal Court who saw the merit of my case and restored my mandate back to me. This shows that court is the last hope of the oppressed.
“I want also to thank my family for standing by me during the period of anxiety, my lawyers for a good job and my teeming supporters both in Enugu and beyond for their support and prayers.
“God will reward all of you. Let me make it clear once again that my coming into politics is to serve my people with dedication and work for the well-being of the nation. And this is what I will devote my time, energy and intellect to achieve while in the National Assembly. It is now time to work”.
