Clement Nnachi (Abakaliki)
The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abakaliki the Ebonyi State Capital on Monday nullified the election of Chief Laz Ogbeh the Candidate the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) in the February 23rd 2019 House of Representative election for Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency.
This follows the petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) Comrade Chinedu Ogah, urging the Tribunal to nullify the election of the First Respondent citing irregularities and non compliance with the electoral Act.
Delivering ruling on the matter, the Chairman of the 3-man tribunal Justice Sika Henry Aprioku, ruled that the petitioner scored the highest number of lawful votes in the election.
READ ALSO: Experts identify reasons for xenophobic attacks in S/Africa
According to the Tribunal, ” the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) erred by altering the result scored by the petitioner Comrade Chinedu Ogah.
” The declaration of the First respondent Chief Laz Ogbeh as winner of the election was a nullity.
The Tribunal Chairman cited Section 50 of the Electoral Act that empowers the Tribunal to recompute result of election.
The Tribunal ruled that the petitioner scored 36, 238 votes to defeat the First Respondent who polled 33,263 votes.
The Chairman stated that it was a show of shame for INEC to cancel 10,000 votes scored by the petitioner for Ikwo Constituency.
The Tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to the PDP Candidate Chief Ogbeh, and issue fresh Certificate to the petitioner and APC candidate Comrade Chinedu Ogah.
Details later…
