Enugu PDP legislator fired by tribunal, rerun ordered

Hon. Okey Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was declared the victor of the March 18 House of Assembly election for the Nkanu East constituency, but this result has been overturned by the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, which is based in Enugu State.

Mbah had been named the election’s victor by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but the tribunal ruled on Friday that the procedure had not complied with the requirements of the 2022 Electoral Act.

The Labour Party candidate Surv. Okwudiri Nnaji filed a petition, and a three-person panel headed by Honourable Justice Adie Attoe Onyebueke ruled on it and declared the election inconclusive.

It mandated a repeat in a few voting places in the wards of Ugbawka and Owo.

The tribunal alleged that there were more votes cast than there were registered and authorised voters in such regions, and it criticised INEC’s reply.

However, it mandated that a new election be held in the affected polling places within 90 days by the electoral umpire, INEC.