The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu on Thursday upheld the election of Hon. Dennis Agbo as the duly elected member representing Igbo-eze North/Udenu federal constituency in the national assembly.
Ruling in a petition brought before it by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the February 25 House of Reps contest, Obiageli Ajih, the panel led by Justice Nusirat I. Umar dismissed the petition for being incompetent and lacking in merit.
Hon. Ajih had asked 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 Labour Party 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 case of irregularities and even their witness supported the respondent in their account.
On Agbo not being a member of Labour Party, Justice Senewo said the petitioner not being a member of the party, lacked the locus standi to question what happened in another party. Adding also 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 and the result sheet contained the petitioner’s name.
Speaking to newsmen at the court after the judgment, Hon. Agbo expressed happiness with the judgement, describing it as an affirmation of his popular mandate to represent the good people of Igboeze North/Udenu Federal Constituency.
The Lawmaker who said he has already hit the ground running, promised to sustain the tempo and assured them that he remembers.
“I remember the kind of mandate they’ve given to me, I don’t lose sight of it even for a second and its a popular and sacred mandate that swam against the tide and it was an overwhelming victory. That being the case, I will work for them day and night, this mandate is worth losing sleep for and they know what has already started and the results are showing.”
