The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has set aside the judgement of the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Asaba which declared Ndudi Elumelu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as winner of the February 25 election for Aniocha-Oshimili Federal Constituency of Delta State, South-South Nigeria
The appellate court, in its judgement on Thursday upheld the victory of Ngozi Okolie of the Labour Party, as winner of the election.
The Court agreed with counsel for Labour Party, Mahmud Magaji, that contrary to the finding of the Tribunal, Okolie was duly nominated and sponsored by his party.
Magaji also averred that his client resigned his appointment as Senior Special Assistant, SSA to Delta State Government as required by the Constitution.
The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Asaba, Delta State, had voided the election of Labour Party’s Ngozi Okolie as the representative of Aniocha-Oshimili Constituency in the House of Representatives on grounds that he was not properly sponsored by the party, not being a member of LP by May 28, 2022, the date of the primary election.
This prompted the Tribunal to declared the runner-up in the February 25, 2023 National Assembly election, Ndudi Elumelu who is the immediate past House Minority Leader as the winner.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
