Tribunal dismisses petition against Imo Reps member – TheNigerialawyer

The Election Petitions Tribunal in Owerri on Wednesday dismissed
the suit filed by Nnanna Igbokwe of the All Progressives Congress
challenging the electoral victory of Emeka Chinedu of the Peoples
Democratic Party.

Chinedu, who currently represents Ezinihitte Mbaise/Ahiazu
Mbaise federal constituency of Imo State in the House of
Representatives was declared the winner of the election in February
by the Independent National Electoral Commission in February.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice C.H Ahuchaogu, in his
judgment which lasted for one and a half hours, said that the
petitioner did not show variable evidence why the election should
be upturned.

The jurist said that the APC and its candidate did not convince
the tribunal why its candidate should have been declared the
winner.

Ahuchaogu said that there were no proofs by Igbokwe for the
tribunal to believe claims that over-voting, violence and electoral
malpractices marred the election.

The tribunal also said that the petitioner could not prove his
claim that the winner of the election, who was the first respondent
in the petition was not qualified to stand for the election.

While dismissing the petition, the tribunal resolved all the
prayers of the petitioner in favour of the first respondent.

Ahuchaogu said, “The petition is hereby dismissed and the
prayers sought by the petitioner is hereby resolved in favour of
the first respondent.”

S.A Anyalelechi was counsel to the first respondent while I.F
Akpaonye was Igbokwe’s counsel.

Igbokwe, who is an aide to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Femi Gbajiabamila, was in the House of
Representatives between 2011 and 2019.

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