The Abia National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Umuahia has made a decision about the petition filed by Mr. Peter Azubuike, the Labour Party candidate for the Obingwa East state constituency in the Abia state House of Assembly. The tribunal, led by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, dismissed the petition. They said that the Labour Party’s claims were not strong enough to prove that there was overvoting and non-compliance with the electoral act.
The tribunal declared Chief Solomon Akpulonu, the candidate of the PDP, as the validly elected candidate for the constituency. They also ordered Mr. Azubuike to pay N200,000 to the PDP candidate.
Akpulonu, who used to be the majority leader of the Assembly, spoke to journalists in Umuahia and praised the tribunal for their well-thought-out judgment. He also invited Azubuike to work together with him to develop the constituency.
Chidozie Ogunji, the counsel for the PDP candidate, said that the petition lacked merit and commended the tribunal for dismissing it.
