The Court of Appeal, Owerri Division, sitting in Lagos has upheld the election of the member representing Obingwa-East State Constituency in Abia state House of Assembly.
The appellate court dismissed the petition filed by the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Azubuike, stating that it lacked merit.
The Labour Party candidate had prayed the Appellate Court to conduct a rerun in 28 Polling Units in Obingwa-West, alleging over-voting, insisting that the election didn’t comply with the Electoral Act but the prayers were not granted.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by three-man panel, the court held that the petitioner failed to prove that the election was marred by over-voting and non compliance with the Electoral Acts and dismissed the petition.
The court upheld the election of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon. Solomon Akpulonu as the winner of March 18, 2023 election in Obingwa-East state Constituency, as earlier validated by National and State Election Tribunal that sat in Umuahia Abia State.
Reacting to the judgment, the lawmaker, Akpulonu hailed the Appellate Court, describing the verdict as victory to democracy, adding that the mandate freely given to him by his constituents has been preserved.
