BREAKING: Appeal Court Gives Verdict on Petition Challenging Alex Otti’s Election as Abia Governor

• The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeals filed by the PDP, the APC and their governorship candidates against Governor Alex Otti’s victory
• The appellate court affirmed the election of Otti as Abia state governor because it conformed with the provisions of the Electoral Act
• In its ruling, the court held that the appeals brought by the petitioners were lacking in merit, as they were like “a comedy skit brought to a democratic setting”

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5-year-experience covering metro and government policy

Lagos state - The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos State has affirmed the election of Alex Otti as Abia state governor.

The court in a unanimous decision dismissed the appeals brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their governorship candidates against Otti’s victory for lacking in merit, as they were like “a comedy skit brought to a democratic setting”.

Read also

BREAKING: Tragic day as 3 traditional rulers die in auto crash

In its ruling on Saturday, December 2, the appellate court ruled that Otti’s election conformed with the provisions of the Electoral Act, Vanguard reported.

The appellate court said issues of membership of a political party is a pre-election matter that falls within the jurisdiction of the political party.

It held that Otti was qualified to contest because he joined the Labour Party, won its primary election and submitted his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),

The appeal court also dismissed the Bimodial Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) issued brought by the PDP and its candidate for failing to demonstrate or link their documentary evidence to the specific parts of the case.

Tribunal delivers judgement on PDP’s petition challenging Gov Otti’s victory

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, gave its final verdict on the petition filed by PDP's Chief Okey Ahiwe, challenging Otti's victory

Read also

Designer Matthew Williams leaves Givenchy

The tribunal dismissed Ahiwe’s petition for lack of merit, and subsequently resolved in favour of Otti.

The three-man panel led by Hon. Justice H.T.D Gwadah dismissed the PDP and Ahiwe petitions “that the Respondent was not qualified to run, did not win majority lawful votes, and that there were irregularities at the poll.

APC rejects tribunal verdict affirming Abia governor’s election

The Abia state chapter of the APC rejected the judgement made by the election tribunal affirming Otti's victory.

The APC chairman in the state, Dr Kingsley Ononogbu, in a statement issued a few hours after the tribunal judgement, described the verdict as a miscarriage of justice.

Ononogbu disclosed that the APC had directed its legal team to appeal the tribunal's judgement.

Source: Legit.ng