Tribunal strikes out APC petition against Delta Reps member

From Paul Osuyi, Asaba

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba on Monday upheld the election of Mr. Nnamdi Ezechi of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as member representing Ndokwa/Ukwuani constituency at the House of Representatives.

The tribunal dismissed the petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the February 25, 2023, Mr. Johnson Opone with a cost of N500,000.00.

In a unanimous judgement read by Justice Nwankwo, the three-man tribunal struck out the petition for lacking in merit.

The tribunal ruled that the petitioners were unable to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

In the reliefs sought, the petitioners had claimed that elections did not take place in the constituency which is made of Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West and Ukwuani local government areas.

They called three witnesses who all alleged that no election took place but their testimony was contradicted by Opone himself who said there were elections, but that he was contesting the result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ukwuani locality.

Counsel to the lawmaker, Mr. Chike Amudo, said it was based on the truth of the matter, insisting that the people of Ndokwa/Ukwuani voted massively for his client and it was a mere waste of time for anyone to challenge the outcome of the election.