Just In: Tribunal Sacks Delta Senator, Orders Fresh Election
- The National Assembly Petitions Tribunal sitting in Asaba has given its judgement on the February 2023 national assembly election held in Delta South Senatorial district
- The tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw Senator Thomas Onowakpo's certificate of return
- The court said INEC should conduct a supplementary election in the contentious Warri South local government area within 90 days
Asaba, Delta state - The senatorial election petitions tribunal in Asaba, Delta state, has sacked Senator Thomas Onowakpo, the lawmaker representing Delta South.
This update was shared by The Punch on Wednesday, September 6.
Source: Facebook
Tribunal orders withdrawal of Onowakpo’s certificate
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Michael Diden, had approached the tribunal with his petition seeking the disqualification of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.
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He argued that the electoral body did not follow the Electoral Act before declaring APC winner of the election.
On Wednesday, September 6, the tribunal chairman, Justice Catherine Ogunsola, ruled that Onowakpo’s certificate of return be withdrawn, Vanguard newspaper noted.
It also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary election in Warri South local government area (LGA) of the state within 90 days.
Thomas Onowakpo's removal: INEC reacts
Speaking shortly after the judgment, Clark Ekpebe, INEC's counsel, said they would study the judgment.
Ekpebe added that the commission still has the option of an appeal.
He said:
“The judgment has been given and we will go home and study the judgment. We have been asked to withdraw his certificate of return and conduct a supplementary election within 90 days.
“We have 60 days in the 90 days. Don’t forget we have an option of appealing the case.”
Tribunal sacks Kogi senator
In a piece of related news, Legit.ng reported that the Kogi East Senatorial Election Tribunal on Tuesday, September 5, sacked Senator Jibrin Isah.
Senator Isah, the Senate Committee Chairman on Customs Excise and Tariffs, was sacked because votes were cancelled in some 94 polling units during the February 2023 election.
The tribunal also ordered INEC to conduct a supplementary election in the affected polling units.
Tribunal sacks, fines APC senator
In another related news, Legit.ng reported that the National and State House of Assembly Election Petition court in Kogi state sacked Sadiku-Ohere of the APC and declared PDP's Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as the winner of the February 25 Kogi Central Senatorial election.
The tribunal in its ruling on Wednesday, September 6, said Akpoti-Uduaghan garnered 54,064 votes while Sadiku-Ohere scored 51,291 votes.
Source: Legit.ng
