Journalists have been barred from covering the proceedings as the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Umuahia, prepares to rule on a petition filed by the immediate past Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji, against the member representing the Ikwuano-Umuahia federal constituency, Hon Obi Aguocha.
Armed DSS officials guarded the entry to the courtroom at the High Court grounds in Umuahia, allowing only legal practitioners and representatives of the parties in the litigation access to the courtroom.
Our Correspondent’s attempt to enter the courtroom was denied by one of the DSS employees on duty, who merely stated that it was a direction from the Chairman of the three-man panel. The former Speaker, who ran on the Peoples Democratic Party’s ticket, petitioned the tribunal to overturn Aguocha’s expulsion on many grounds.
Orji requested that Aguocha be removed from the Labour Party for allegedly participating in the PDP primaries before joining the Labour Party. Meanwhile, curious onlookers linger around the court grounds, awaiting the outcome of the court proceedings.
