The election petitions tribunal in Abia State has thrown out a suit challenging the victory of Obinna Aguocha of the Labour Party as the duly elected member of the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South federal constituency of Abia State.
The petition, filed by Paul Meregini and his political party, Action Democratic Party, ADP, called for the nullification of the election that produced Obinna Aguocha on the ground that the logo of ADP was excluded from the House of Representatives election ballot papers during the February 25 National Assembly polls.
The petition (No. EPT/AB/HR/01/2023) complained that the exclusion of ADP’s logo affected the chances of the candidate of the party, Paul Meregini, as those who came to vote for the applicant and his party could not see the logo of the party.
However, the tribunal in its ruling dismissed the petition, saying it lacked merit and therefore, affirmed the victory of Obinna Aguocha.
Lead counsel to Aguocha, Awa Kalu, SAN, in his reaction, applauded the ruling as sound and commendable.
Tribunal
Aguocha pulled the biggest surprise in the general elections in Abia State on February 25 when he defeated the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji, in a landslide victory.
Aguocha’s victory equally broke 24 years of alleged political marginalisation of the people of
Ohuhu clan by their neighbours.
Meanwhile, the Abia State Election Petition Tribunal for Governorship and State Houses of Assembly now sits in Abuja, following the ongoing strike by members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, in Abia State.
