FDC rival files election case against Oulanyah

Gulu. The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Jacob Oulanyah’s rival in the race for Omoro County parliamentary seat, has petitioned the High Court in Gulu District challenging the election results.
Mr Simon Toolit Aketcha, who lost the February 18 election to Mr Oulanyah, claims the Deputy Speaker connived with the Electoral Commission (EC) to steal his votes.
Mr Toolit, who was running under the FDC party, polled 6,823 votes while NRM’s Mr Oulanyah got 8,218 votes.
In the petition filed on Thursday, Mr Toolit claims Mr Oulanyah was dubiously announced winner by the returning officer, Mr Benson Obete.
“Take notice (Oulanyah and Electoral Commission) that Akecha has filed a petition against you in court. You are hereby requested to file an answer within 10 days after the petition has been served on you,” reads the court registrar’s notice to Mr Oulanyah informing him of the suit against him and to file his defence.

Through his lawyers, Mr Toolit cites 10 grounds to prove that the election results were altered.
Addressing the press in Gulu Town on Thursday, Mr Toolit said he petitioned court because the EC declared Mr Oulanyah winner before results were released.
“I got dissatisfied with the election results that were changed forcibly yet I was winning in the preliminary results putting me at 7,169 votes while Mr Oulanyah had 7,053 votes. Later, we were shocked by Electoral Commission results that I got 6,823 votes,” he said.

Mr Toolit said eight ballot boxes of valid votes from Lalogi Sub-county were tampered with while his results from five polling stations within the same sub-county were not reflected in the results declared by the EC.
He is seeking a court order for a recount of the tinkered ballot boxes and fresh tallying of votes in the five polling stations.
Mr Toolit dismissed speculation that Mr Oulanyah paid him Shs2 billion to drop the election petition.
He said he filed the petition late because he was still consulting his lawyers.
Mr Oulanyah could not be reached for a comment as his known phone number was unavailable.

Ready to defend poll
Mr Obete, however, said the EC was ready to swear an affidavit in court defending its decision to declare Mr Oulanyah winner of Omoro County MP seat.
“I cannot say much about the matter. All I know is that his agents (Toolit) signed on the declaration forms acknowledging the results were correct. Besides, the mandated 30 days for court to grant an order for vote recount has elapsed making their petition futile,” Mr Obete said.
This is not the first time Mr Toolit is suing Mr Oulanyah challenging his election.
In 2011, he went to court challenging results when he lost to Mr Oulanyah.

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