HON. UCHE MADUAKO V. NKIRI ONYEJIOCHA INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION RESIDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER, ABIA STATE RETURNING OFFICER, ISUIKWUATO/ UMUNNEOCHI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTORAL OFFICER, ISUIKWUATO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA ELECTORAL OFFICER, UMUNNEOCHI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

GALADIMA JCA (Delivering the Lead Ruling): The applicant in this motion was the 1st respondent in the NationalAssembly/Governorship and Legislative Houses Election Petition Tribunal sitting at Umuahia, Abia State.He was dissatisfied with the decision of the tribunal upholding the petition filed by the 1st respondent, returning him as the winner of the election held on 28 April 2007 into the Federal House of Representatives for the Umunneochi/Isuikwuato Federal Constituency. Hence on 13 December 2007, the said appellant filed his notices of appeal containing 13 grounds of appeal. By his present application dated 13 February 2008 and filed on 13 February 2008, he has sought for the following reliefs:

Leave to file 14 additional grounds of appeal in this appeal and thereupon amend the appellant’s notice of appeal dated 13 December, 2007in terms of the schedule of amendment exhibit

‘A’as finally reflected in the amended notice of appeal exhibit ‘B’.

An order deeming the appellant’s amended…