…Orders Rerun Within 90 Days
The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu has nullified the return of Hon. Okey Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as the winner of the March 18 House of Assembly poll for Nkanu East constituency.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had declared Mbah as the winner of the election but the tribunal in their ruling on Friday, said the process didn’t meet the provisions of the 2022 electoral act.
The three-man panel led by Honourable Justice Adie Attoe Onyebueke while delivering their judgment on the petition filed by Labour Party candidate, Surv. Okwudiri Nnaji, ordered a rerun in some polling units in Ugbawka and Owo wards.
The tribunal averred that the number of votes are higher than the number of registered and accredited voters in those areas and faulted the return by INEC.
It however ordered the electoral umpire, INEC, to conduct a rerun election in the affected polling units within 90 days.