From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Abia State Chapter, has urged its members and supporters in the state to remain calm as the Party leadership was meeting with the governorship candidate, his running mate and the legal team to review the judgment of the Appeal Court and come up with the next line of action.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos was yesterday reported to have affirmed Dr Alex Otti of the Labour Party as the authentic winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in Abia state.
The court in its ruling, dismissed the petitions filed against the electoral victory of Otti by the PDP and APC for lacking in merit and described the petitions as comedy skit, which should not have been brought up in a democratic setting.
In a release signed by Abia PDP Vice Chairman/Acting State Publicity Secretary, Abraham Amah, the party said it was going to explore the options available to it in the matter.
The party reiterated its confidence in the Judiciary as the last hope of the common man and one of the strongest pillars of the nation’s democracy.
Meanwhile, the PDP Abia governorship candidate in the gubernatorial election, Okey Ahiwe has reacted to the verdict of the appellate court.
In a statement, Ahiwe said no one should panic, adding, “When we embarked on the journey to reclaim our mandate through judicial processes, it was a calculated resolution and we were conscious that the journey would not be a sprint but a peculiar marathon with inevitable twists and turns.
“Our destination was clearly defined from the onset, and our focus is unchanged. I, therefore, encourage all my supporters to stay calm, and look beyond the eclipse of transitional sunset.”
Ahiwe assured that his legal team would diligently study the judgment of the Court of Appeal, and advise on critical options to guide him and the leadership of the PDP in taking a decision.