Reps Seat: Tinubu's Minister Loses at Appeal Court
- President Bola Tinubu's minister of state for labour and employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha's earlier victory at the tribunal has been overturned
- Onyejeocha was favoured when the tribunal in Umuahia dismissed the victory of Amobi Ogah, the lawmaker representing Isikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia
- But a Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos said Ogah was meritorious to contest the 2023 election and overturned the judgment of the lower court
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Ikeja, Lagos - President Bola Tinubu's minister of state for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has lost the victory she earlier earned at the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Umuahia at the Court of Appeal.
A Lagos division of the appellate court upturned the ruling that dismissed the election of Amobi Ogah, the lawmaker representing Isikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia state in the February 25 National Assembly election, Premium Times reported.
Source: Twitter
Why tribunal sacked Ogah as Abia rep
Ogah's election was overturned by the tribunal over the failure of the party to comply with the Electoral Act's provision. The court then declared the minister as the winner of the election.
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According to the tribunal:
“How a candidate is sponsored by a political party is both a pre and post-election matter. There is no evidence of giving 21 days’ notice to INEC by the respondent before conducting their primary election.”
However, Ogah approached the appeal court to challenge the tribunal's judgment.
Appeal court affirms Ogah's victory as Abia rep
On Friday, November 3, the Court of Appeal dismissed the ruling of the tribunal and affirmed Ogah as the authentic winner of the poll.
According to the Lagos court, the Labour Party candidate has the merit to contest the election. It then set aside the verdict of the lower court.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Ogah as the winner of the Isiukwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency election with a total of 11,769 votes, while Onyejeocha scored 8,752 votes.
Supreme Court delivers judgment on Governor Otti's election
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Supreme Court kicked out the appeal of the PDP and its candidate in the March 18 governorship election in Abia state, Okey Ambrose Ahiwe.
Ahiwe and the PDP on October 30 filed to join as an interested party in a suit seeking to disqualify all Labour Party candidates in the 2023 election before a Kano high court.
An appeal court in Kano had earlier dismissed the judgment of the high court that sacked Governor Otti and other Labour Party victors in the 2023 poll before the Supreme Court ruling.
Source: Legit.ng
