The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia the Abia State Capital has nullified the election of Hon Amobi Ogah of the Labour Party,representing Isiukwuato Umunneochi Federal Constituency on grounds of non compliance to the electoral Act.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had in February 28th declared the Labour Party Candidate , Amobi Ogah as the winner of the Isiukwuato Umunneochi Federal Constituency election with a a total of 11,769 votes against current Minister of State for Labour and Employment Hon Nkeiruka Onyejiocha Chidubem who the commission said scored a total of 8,752 votes.
Dissatisfied with the result, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha filed a petition before the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, seeking the nullification of Hon Amobi Ogah’s Election in seven reliefs contained in her Petition
Delivering Judgement in the Petition tagged EPT/AB/HR/8/2023 on Wednesday in Umuahia, the three member Panel 1 of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal said the candidate of the Labour Party and Member Representing Isiukwuato Umunneochi Federal Constituency Hon Amobi Ogah did not comply with the provisions of the electoral Act.
“How a candidate is Sponsored by a political party is both Pre and post election, there is no evidence of given 21days notice to INEC by the respondent before conducting their primary election”
“No date of Primaries was placed before us, no evidence of Primaries and the 3rd respondent has always said it’s an internal affairs of the Party”
“We have tabulated and found out that the results computed by the petition is correct and the results computed by the 1st respondent is dis-countenanced ”
Hon Amobi Ogah who had argued that the acceptance of the Ministerial appointment of Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha was Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was a sign that she has abandoned her petition .
However the Tribunal in her ruling dismissed the submission of the Lawmaker.
“We are of the view that section 66 is not applicable to this scenario because the petitioner is not a Lawmaker of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the scenario prohibited by law is a person being a member of two arms of government” the court ruled.
