APC, APGA candidates declared winners as tribunal sacks 2 LP reps in Abia

Labour Party lawmakers, Ibe Okwara and Emeka Nnamani representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency and Abia North/South Federal Constituency respectively in the House of Representatives have been sacked.

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia on Monday, September 11, 2023, sacked Okwara and declared Dan Okeke of the the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the February 25, 2023 National Assembly election in the constituency.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the LP candidate as the winner of the election, but Okeke approached the tribunal to seek the nullification of Okwara’s election, alleging that the election of the LP candidate did not comply with the provisions of the law.

Following his petition, a three-member panel led by its Chairman, Justice Adeyinka Aderegbegbe granted his prayers and ruled that Okwara’s election did not comply with the provisions of the electoral act. 

As a result, the judge declared the petitioner, Okeke of the APC as the authentic winner of the election. 

The court also ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to the LP candidate and give a fresh one to Okeke.

In a similar development, another Labour Party lawmaker in the state, Nnamani, representing Abia North/South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives has been sacked by the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, Channels TV reports. 

The court declared Alex Ikwechegh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as the winner of the election.

Also in Lagos, the tribunal sitting in the state capital, Ikeja, has nullified the election of Thaddeus Attah of the Labour Party as Representative of the Eti Osa Federal Constituency of Lagos State.

The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a supplementary election in 32 polling units of Eti-Osa within 90 days.