By John Ogulei
SOROTI
The Soroti City East Constituency MP Elect, Moses Okia Attan has filed his defense in response to an election petition that was filed against him by the incumbent Soroti Municipality MP, Hon. Herbert Edmund Ariko.
Ariko on the 17th March 2021 filed an election petition case number 05/2021 against Moses Okia Attan and Electoral Commission.
In his application, MP Ariko wants court to nullify Attan’s victory on grounds that there were no valid elections conducted by the Electoral Commission as required by law.
Ariko in his petition contends that the Soroti City East elections were conducted illegally and incompetently constituted as two Wards were excluded that compromised the outcome of the elections.
Through his lawyers Kirunda and Co advocates, Ariko is asking the court to order for fresh elections in Soroti City East, costs awarded to him and any other reliefs as available under electoral laws.
But in his response, the 1st respondent (Attan) contends that he was validly elected by voters of Soroti City East Constituency and wants the court to dismiss Ariko’s case with costs.
“There are no elections that are going to take place in Soroti City East. Am only waiting for swearing-in. I want to appeal to my voters that they shouldn’t get violent over My Brother’s decision to drag me to court. It’s his constitutional right but I want to assure you that there will be no elections. Even though he wins at high court we shall go to court of appeal and am confident we shall overcome,” said Attan
He says he was validly nominated by the Electoral Commission and it was out of order for Ariko to say that the two Wards of Opiyai and Aloet were his strongholds.
“My brother Ariko can’t lie to us that the two Wards were his strongholds yet the same voters he calls his diehards voted for other candidates. He should know that voters are not static people but instead change according to the season,” Attan said while addressing the media in Soroti town today 29th March 2021.
