The Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri today ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to arrange the swearing in of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in the April 2015 governorship election in Abia State Dr Alex Otti as the governor of Abia State.
The Five member panel of Justices which were made up of two Female Justices and three Male Justices ruled that the November 3rd Judgement of the Justice Usman Bwala led Abia governorship election petition tribunal which upheld the election of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu was wrong and is hereby upturned.
17 issues were determined by the court with the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance Dr Alex Otti winning 16 out of the 17 Leaving Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP with one issue which was resolved in his favour.
The presiding judge said the elections which were cancelled by the Returning Officer in the election remained cancelled because there were overwhelming cases of over voting in Obingwa Osisioma and Isialangwa Local Government areas.
On the testimony of the State collation agent for the All Progressives Grand Alliance Barr Ahamdi Emmanuel Nweke which was struck out by the tribunal on grounds that he lied on oath during Cross examination by Wole Olanipekun who was the Counsel to Okezie Ikpeazu, the Court ruled that Ahamdi Emmanuel Nweke never said he was a Lawyer in Nigeria.
The judge ruled that since the election of The three Local government areas were no longer on the figures,the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance Dr Alex Otti scored the highest number of total valid votes count and that INEC should issue him with the Certificate of Return as the duely elected Governor of Abia State.
