Tag: Tribunal

The National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Lagos has declared as inconclusive the election that produced Thaddeus Atta of the Labour Party (LP) as the duly elected representative for Eti-Osa Federal Constituency.

It ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary election within 90 days in 33 polling units where it found that elections did not hold.

The Tribunal gave its judgment on Monday night.

Atta, Babajide Obanikoro of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and singer/actor turned politician, Bankole Wellington also known as Bank W of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) contested to represent the constituency during the February 25 election.

But INEC declared Atta the winner with 24,075 votes, defeating Wellington who polled 18,666 votes, and Obanikoro, who scored 16,901 votes.

Reacting to the ruling Tuesday morning in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Atta expressed confidence, saying he was not sacked by the court.

“The Tribunal has simply ordered a re-run (supplementary election) in the 32 polling units where elections did not hold.

“We will continue working for Eti-Osa. I urge constituents to keep calm as we are unshaken. We will get through this together,” he said.

Read Also: Kalu defeats PDP, LP at tribunal

Also reacting on his official Instagram handle, Obanikoro hailed the judges for the ruling.

He said: “It was all smiles at the tribunal court when it was confirmed that there would be a supplementary election in several polling units under the Eti-Osa Federal constituency where the election did not take place.

“I believe that our justice system is on the right track and I praise the judges for this ruling which adheres to the components of the Constitution. Work starts now.”

“The Feb 25 election has just been rightly declared inconclusive and supplementary elections have been ordered by the court.

“INEC has been ordered to withdraw the return certificate and conduct elections in areas where it didn’t hold on Election Day.”

On his part, Banky W expressed hope in a post on X on Monday night.

“It is possible. Still,” he wrote.

The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia has upheld the victory of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu representing Abia-North Senatorial zone in the February 25, 2023 polls.

A three man panel led by Justice Samson Paul-Gang in its unanimous ruling on Tuesday, September 12, dismissed the petition of Peoples Democratic Party’s Mao Ohuabunwa and Labour Party’s Nnamdi Iro Orji for lacking merit.

The court, while upholding the victory of Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said that the election of the former Senate Chief Whip compiled with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The tribunal judges also faulted the arguments of both petitioners that election did not hold in over 120 polling units mainly in Ohafia and Arochukwu Local Government Areas of the zone.

Nnamdi Iro and Ohuabunwa who came second and third respectively, Labour Party, in separate suits had asked the court to overturn the election of the former Abia Governor as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, alleging irregularities.

Also thrown out out was the petition of the PDP and LP was the argument that the  total number of registered voters in the said affected polling units was far above the margin of win between Kalu and the first and second runners-up.

Read Also: Tinubu’s electoral victory never in doubt – Deputy Speaker Kalu

The court also validated Kalu’s eligibility to contest the election stating that his trial and conviction was quashed by the supreme court.

Two other matters filed by the LP challenging Kalu’s election were also interpreted and laid to rest by the Tribunal judges and thus declared Kalu the duly elected Senator of Abia North.

Kalu, a Chieftain of the APC was declared winner by the INEC returning Officer for Abia North, Mr Chinedu Nnamdi at Ohafia.

Kalu, a two time lawmaker who currently chairs Senate committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation was declared winner by INEC of the February 25, 2023 Senatorial polls having scored 30,805 votes to defeat Nnamdi who got 27,540 votes.

While Kalu’s other opponent, Ohuabunwa of the PDP scored 15,175 votes to place third.

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia North local government area, the Abia State capital, on Monday sacked three House of Representatives members elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).

A panel of the tribunal led by Justice Adeyinka Aderebgbe, sacked the member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal constituency Mr. Ibe Okwara Osunwa, for non-compliance with the electoral act 2022, in a petition filled by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC ) in the election, Chief Daniel Okeke.

The tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Osunwa and issue a new one to Okeke.

Another panel led by Justice Hajaratu Hajjo Lawa nullified the election of

Munachim Alozie, representing Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency.

The court also ordered for a rerun within the next 90 days according to the constitution.

The tribunal noted that the LP candidate was declared winner in error and therefore cannot stand.

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Reading out the judgement, Prof. Muhammad Mahmud on behalf of the three-man panel headed by Lawal, said the number of lead of the LP candidate was more than the number of voters who were disenfranchised in some polling units that collected their Permanent Voters Cards.

The candidate of the Young Progressives Party, Ibe Michael Nwoke, had approached the court after the declaration of  Alozie as winner of the February 25th elections demanding its nullification.

Nwoke prayed the court to among other things nullify the election of LP’s Alozie as he was not duly elected and his election invalid based on the margin of lead.

While counsel to YPP’s candidate adjudged the ruling as fair, the LP’s counsel insists on appealing the case.

Another panel of tribunal nullified the election of the member representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency Mr Emeka Nnamani, for certificate forgery.

The tribunal declared the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) in the election Chief Alex Ikwueche as the winner of the election and ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Nnamani and Issue a new one to Ikwecheghi.

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal Sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital on Monday, September 11, declared the February 25 elections of Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency null and void.

The court also ordered a rerun within the next 90 days according to the constitution.

The tribunal noted that the LP candidate was declared in error and therefore cannot stand.

Reading out the judgement, Prof. Muhammad Mahmud on behalf of the three-man panel headed by Hajaratu Hajjo Lawal, said the number of lead is more than the number of voters who were disenfranchised in some polling units but collected their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs.

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The candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Ibe Michael Nwoke had approached the court after the declaration of Labour Party’s Munachim Alozie as the winner of the February 25th elections demanding nullification.

Nwoke prayed the court to among other things nullify the election of LP’s Alozie as he was not duly elected and his election was invalid based on the margin of lead.

While counsel to YPP’s candidate adjudged the ruling as fair, the LP’s counsel insisted on appealing the case.

In a related development, Daniel Okeke of the All Progressives Congress, APC has sacked Labour Party’s Osonwa, representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency.

Information about the judgement is still sketchy at the time of filing the report.

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Jos has declared Simon Lalong as the duly elected senator to represent Plateau South Senatorial District.

The Tribunal held that the votes scored by Napoleon Bali in the February 25, 2023 general elections were wasted votes as he was invalidly nominated, saying that at the time of the nomination, the PDP had no valid structure in Plateau state.

In the same vein, the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting at High Court Jos also dismissed the petition filed by Alfred Dabwan and his NNPP against Caleb Mutfwang.

The petitioners approached the Tribunal seeking the nullification of the March 18, 2023, governorship election which INEC declared and returned Caleb Mutfwang for unlawful exclusion of the logo of NNPP by INEC in the ballot.

Also, the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Jos declared Fom Dalyop Chollom of the Labour Party winner of February 25, 2023, National Assembly Elections for Barkin Ladi Riyom federal constituency.

Fom had challenged the declaration of Peter Gyenden of the PDP of the said election by INEC on the ground that Gyenden was not validly nominated as the PDP at the time of the nomination had no valid structure.

Meanwhile, Governor Caleb Mutfwang has hailed the verdict of the Tribunal which ruled in his favour, following a petition by Alfred Clark Dabwang, the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the March, 18th 2023, governorship election.

The judgement read by Hon. Justice A. Y. Joh, dismissed the petition filed by the NNPP candidate, who alleged the exclusion of his party’s logo.

The tribunal confirmed Governor Caleb Mutfwang as the duly elected Governor of Plateau state.

Reacting to the judgement, Governor Mutfwang, described it as a validation of the people’s will in Plateau State and expressed his confidence in the upcoming judgements.

He stated: “We give thanks to God Almighty, the ultimate Judge. We were confident in the outcome of this election, which was clearly in our favour. We commend the Judiciary for upholding the voters’ choice.”

Regarding the Judgement’s assertion that the petition was frivolous and unnecessary, the governor emphasized that democracy allows everyone to voice their concerns, but ultimately, justice prevails.

Governor Mutfwang said the ruling has brought joy not only to the PDP but to the entire population of Plateau State and to democracy as a whole.

He noted that the Tribunal had rendered eight judgements, all in favour of the PDP, adding that ‘this has reinforced the party’s victory in the previous elections.

Read Also: Plateau: PDP lauds tribunal for dismissing NNPP’s petition against Gov. Mutfwang

He said: “Despite the distractions caused by these cases, the Governor reaffirmed his commitment to providing effective governance for the people of Plateau State and praised his team for their dedication.

“We are pleased to be approaching the conclusion of these cases, and while one more Governorship petition remains, we remain hopeful and confident it will also be resolved in our favour. We look forward to closing this chapter and focusing on the task of governance.”

Earlier, the Tribunal had adopted the written submissions of both the respondents and petitioners in the case involving Nentawe Yilwatda of the APC and Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang of the PDP.

A date for the judgement will be communicated to both parties.

• Senators Morro’s, Usman’s victories upheld

The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal in Imo State has sacked two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives members from the state.

They are: Ikeagwuonu Onyinye Ugochinyere, the lawmaker representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency, and Jonas Okeke Onwuegbuchulam, representing Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency.

While the tribunal ordered the conduct of a supplementary election in Ideato North and South Federal Constituency, it ordered that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Certificate of Return to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okafor Chike John, to represent Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency.

In five judgments yesterday, a three-member panel of the tribunal unanimously held that Ugochinyere and Onwuegbuchulam were not qualified to contest the February 25 National Assembly election, having been elected through invalid primary elections conducted by the PDP.

Read Also; Presidential election: Don’t bend the law, Catholic Bishops tell Supreme Court

The judgments of the panel, led by Anthony Akpovi, were on five separate petitions filed against the two lawmakers representing the two federal constituencies.

The tribunal, which sat in Nasarawa State, ordered INEC to, within 90 days, conduct a supplementary election in 55 polling units where the petitioners, Abazu Chika Benson and the All Progressives Congress (APC), successfully proved that election was never held.

In Kano State, the National and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal nullified the election of the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam Federal Constituency, Yusuf Umar Datti.

The NNPP candidate was declared winner of the February 25 National Assembly poll conducted by the INEC after he defeated Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso of the APC.

But Kwankwaso sought the nullification of the election, arguing that Datti did not retire from his teaching job before vying for the House of Representatives seat.

The tribunal agreed with Kwankwaso’s submission and declared him winner of the election.

The three-man penal, led by Justice Flora Azinge, upheld the petition filed by the APC candidate and voided Yusuf’s election for his failure to resign from his lecturing job at Bayero University in Kano (BUK) within 30 days before the election.

Also, the National/State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, affirmed the election of Senator Abba Morro of the PDP representing Benue South.

The APC candidate, Daniel Onjeh, had filed a petition, seeking the nullification of Morro’s election victory in the February 25 poll.

Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ory Zik-Ikeorha, said the evidence presented by the petitioners was weak, porous and lacking in substance, hence could not sustain their petition.

On March 17, Onjeh filed the petition, which was premised on three grounds that Morro was not elected by majority of the lawful votes cast and that his election did not comply with the Electoral Act, guidelines and manual for the poll.

Morro’s objection against the competence of the petition was dismissed and the petition was heard on its merit.

The three-member panel held that the petitioners failed to present credible and reliable evidence to back their case.

It also held that the petitioners could not plead the relevant act under which they were complaining, adduce sufficient and tender compelling evidence to prove that non-compliance with relevant electoral laws took place.

Also, the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Kaduna State upheld the election of Lawal Usman of the PDP as the senator representing Kaduna Central in the 10th National Assembly.

The APC candidate, Muhammad Abdullahi, had claimed that Usman was not nominated by his party, in accordance with the Electoral Act, and was not properly sponsored by the PDP to contest the election, among others.

But the three-man panel, led by Justice H. H. Kereng, dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.

Justice Kereng, who read the verdict, held that the petitioners failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the PDP candidate’s National Examination Council (NECO) results and the other academic qualifications he presented to the INEC were forged.

The tribunal explained that the petitioners could not prove that the first respondent was not duly elected by the majority of votes cast in the February 25 poll.

It dismissed the petition and upheld the election of Usman was duly elected as senator for Kaduna Central.

The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu at the weekend sacked Hon. Chijioke Okereke of the Labour Party (LP) as member representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives .

The three-man panel led by Justice Nusirat I. Umar declared Chief Anayo Onwuegbu, the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the duly elected candidate of the February 25, 2023 poll.

Onwuegbu had approached the tribunal challenging the declaration of Barrister Okereke on the grounds that he was a stranger to the election as his name was not on the result sheet as the candidate of the Labour Party.

The panel held that Okereke wasn’t a candidate for the election and accordingly, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to issue certificate of return to the PDP Candidate.

The name of former minority leader of the House of Representatives, Toby Okechukwu appeared on the list published by INEC for the election. 

Also, his name appeared on the result sheet during the February 25 election. However, Okereke retrieved the ticket from the court as the duly nominated candidate of LP after Hon. Okechukwu distanced himself from being a member of the Labour Party.

Okereke became the second member of the Labour Party to be sacked by the tribunal after Prof. Paul Nnamchi representing Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency in Enugu State was replaced by Hon. Prince Cornelius Nnaji, the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, by a three-man panel led by A. M. Abubakar.

Prince Nnaji had challenged the declaration of Prof. Nnamchi by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the election on the grounds that he was not duly sponsored and qualified to contest the election under the candidacy of Labour Party.

Meanwhile, tribunal upheld the election of Dennis Agbo of the Labour Party as the duly elected member representing Igbo-eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency of Enugu State.

Ruling in a petition brought before it by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25 House of Reps contest, Obiageli Ajih, the panel, dismissed the petition for being incompetent and lacking in merit.

Ajih had asked the tribunal to nullify the election of Agbo on the grounds of irregularities and corruption, non-compliance with the electoral law (omission of her party in Form EC8a) and the respondent not being a member of the LP at the time of the election.

But in a ruling read by Justice Legor T. Senewo, the tribunal held that the petitioner failed to prove alleged irregularities. 

On Agbo not being a member of LP, Justice Senewo said the petitioner lacked the locus standi to question what happened in another party.

He added that issue of membership, substitution, nomination and sponsorship of a candidate to an election is a pre-election matter, and that the tribunal has no jurisdiction to hear it.

On the third ground of the petition, which is non-compliance with the Electoral Law, the judge said the declaration was made in compliance with the Electoral Act.

The spokesperson for Chijioke Edeoga Governorship Campaign Organization, Engr George Ugwu has described the Tribunal Judgement in the Enugu East / Isi Uzo Federal Constituency election as a travesty of justice which will not stand rigorous challenge at the appeal court. 

He described the judgment as temporal and reversible. 

While thanking Labour Party enthusiasts for their continued support, he urged them to remain focused and unrelenting in their solidarity and prayers for LP ultimate victory at their various cases.

Read Also: Upsets as tribunals upturn results in Enugu, Benue, Bayelsa, others

He described Prof Paul Nnamchi as an answered prayer to his constituents, who have begun to taste his effectiveness and impactful representation at the National Assembly. 

He reassured his teeming supporters that their votes will not be in vain, wandering how the PDP and their candidate, Hon Cornelius Nnaji who lost to the LP candidate, Prof Paul Nnamuchi with over thirteen thousand ( 13,000 ) votes, could unashamedly plot to steal and thwart the people’s mandate. 

He urged LP faithfuls to remain calm as the party and the candidate are determined to exhaust all legal means possible to retrieve the people’s mandate.