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.
