“The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals, situated in various states, are set to conclude their proceedings this week and issue judgments on more than 400 election petitions. While an official from the Independent National Electoral Commission stated that 552 election petitions were filed by disgruntled candidates who participated in the National Assembly elections, it has been reported that over 150 cases have already been resolved, with some petitioners withdrawing their cases.
However, approximately 400 cases are slated for judgment this week as tribunals nationwide wrap up their sessions by Saturday, 16th, 2023. Notably, this week will determine the fate of several federal lawmakers, including seven House of Representatives members from Delta State.
In recent weeks, these panels have overturned the election victories of at least four senators and seven House of Representatives members in the elections held on February 25, 2023. Among the senators who were recently unseated are Emmanuel Udende (APC, Benue North East), Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi East), Abubakar Ohere (APC, Kogi Central), and Thomas Joel-Onowakpo (Delta South).”
In Delta, Senator Joel-Onowakpo faced a re-run election in the Delta South Senatorial District as ordered by the tribunal. Justice Catherine Ogunsola led the tribunal, which declared the initial election inconclusive and directed the INEC to conduct a supplementary election in the Warri South council area within 90 days. Joel-Onowakpo expressed disappointment with the tribunal’s ruling but hadn’t decided whether to appeal, leaving the decision to the voters.
In Benue, the tribunal in Makurdi nullified Emmanuel Udende’s election, the Senator representing the Benue North East Senatorial District. It declared Gabriel Suswam of the Peoples Democratic Party as the rightful winner due to evidence of over-voting during the election.
Similarly, Senator Jibrin Isah of Kogi East lost his seat due to a tribunal judgment that ordered a supplementary election in 94 polling units because of discrepancies in voter card distribution.
In Kogi Central, Abubakar Ohere was unseated by a court that confirmed Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan of the opposition PDP as the winner of the senatorial polls.
In the House of Representatives, Fred Agbedi, the PDP candidate for Sagbama/Ekeremor federal constituency, was also removed by the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Bayelsa State. A fresh election was ordered in specific polling units to rectify the exclusion of 26,000 registered voters.
Ngozi Okolie, a member representing Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency on the platform of the Labour Party, was recently removed from office for failing to meet the nomination requirements following a petition filed by Ndudi Elumelu.
In Abia State, Amobi Ogah of the Labour Party had his election nullified, with Nkeiruka Onyejeocha of the APC declared as the rightful winner of the National Assembly election.
In Enugu, the election tribunal invalidated the election of the LP candidate, Prof Sunday Nnamchi, as a member of the House of Representatives for Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency.
In Lagos State, Seyi Sowunmi of the LP lost his seat as the House of Representatives member for Ojo Federal Constituency. The tribunal declared Lanre Ogunyemi of the APC as the duly elected candidate, citing Sowunmi’s failure to meet the sponsorship and qualification requirements.
In Kano, the tribunal invalidated Muktar Umar Yerima’s election as a House of Representatives member for the Tarauni Federal Constituency due to the submission of a forged primary school certificate to INEC. The tribunal ruled Yerima’s candidacy illegitimate, making all votes cast for him “wasted votes.”
In Calabar, Cross River State, the tribunal upheld Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe’s (PDP) election representing Cross River North in the National Assembly. Former Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, had contested the senatorial election, alleging malpractices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act. Ayade also raised concerns about 377 polling units in the northern senatorial election.
The tribunal, led by Justice M. Sambo, dismissed the petition after a five-hour judgment, citing insufficient evidence to invalidate the election.
Senator Solomon Adeola, known as Yayi, received favorable news as he was confirmed as the duly elected representative for Ogun West Senatorial District. The tribunal, headed by Justice Kabir Gabo in Abeokuta, dismissed the petition (EPT/OG/Sen/2023) filed by the PDP senatorial candidate, Dada Adeleke, on the grounds of lacking merit.
In Lagos, the attempts by the LP to unseat Senator Wasiu Eshinlokun of the APC faced a setback as the tribunal declared him the legitimate Senator for the Lagos Central Senatorial District. Justice Ashua Ewah, leading the three-member tribunal, dismissed the petition brought by the LP candidate, Abiodun Dabiri, stating that the raised concerns pertained to pre-election matters and were thus invalid.
The election of a former Minister of Interior, Abba Moro of the PDP, was similarly upheld by tribunal sitting in Makurdi, Benue State.
The APC candidate, Mr Dan Onjeh, had filed a petition at the tribunal seeking to nullify the Benue South senatorial election but the tribunal ruled that the evidence put forward by the petitioner was “weak and porous” and dismissed it accordingly.
The Plateau State governorship fate will be determined today as the tribunal in Jos, the state capital, delivers its judgment on the NNPP’s petition against the PDP governorship candidate, Caleb Mutfwang, who was declared the winner of the March governorship polls. A member of Mutfwang’s legal team, Sunday Odey, confirmed this date.
In the case, the NNPP and its governorship candidate, Alfred Dabwan, contested the declaration of Mutwang as the winner of the governorship poll. Dabwan was the 1st petitioner, with his party, the NNPP, as the 2nd petitioner, while INEC, Mutfwang, and the PDP were the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respondents, respectively. The petitioners claimed the unlawful exclusion of their identity by INEC during the election, a claim the respondents urged the court to dismiss.
The Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal is also expected to tentatively render its verdict on Wednesday. The tribunal will deliver judgments on approximately seven federal constituencies and one senatorial election petitions. The Delta State PDP has already won in three federal constituencies and two Senatorial election petitions. Senator Thomas Joel-Onowakpo representing Delta South Senatorial District (APC), whose election was nullified by the tribunal, has vowed to defend his mandate and remain the Senator for the constituency “now and for the next four years.” The tribunal declared the election for Delta South Senatorial District inconclusive and ordered a supplementary re-run election within 90 days in the Warri South Local Government Area of the state. The certificate of return issued to Joel-Onowakpo was withdrawn.
In another development, Bridget Anyafulu, a member of the Delta State House of Assembly representing Oshimili South State Constituency, praised the tribunal in Asaba for upholding her victory in the state assembly polls. The tribunal dismissed the petition brought by Mr. Sualeze Eluaka of the APC, challenging Anyafulu’s victory. She dedicated her triumph to her constituents.
Justice Ogunsola, in dismissing the case, found that the petitioner’s case lacked merit and failed to establish his claims beyond reasonable doubt. Additionally, the evidence presented by the petitioner was deemed inadmissible in the eyes of the law.
Anyafulu, addressing journalists at the Asaba Court premises after the tribunal’s verdict, emphasized the need for quality representation. The human rights crusader, accompanied by her supporters, expressed her commitment to collaborating with relevant stakeholders to address the area’s challenges through legislation.
In Enugu State, the election petition tribunal has not yet issued a verdict on the lone Senatorial election contested by the LP. Dennis Amadi of the LP is challenging the declaration of Chief Osita Ngwu of the PDP as the duly elected Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District.
Regarding other constituencies, the tribunal has already delivered judgments in petitions contesting the elections in Enugu East/Isi-Uzo, Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani, Enugu North/Enugu South, Oji-River/Awgu/Aninri, and Udenu/Igbo-Eze North federal constituencies. However, verdicts for the elections in Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South and Nkanu East/Nkanu West constituencies are pending.
The tribunal nullified the elections of LP candidates for the Oji-River/Awgu/Aninri and Enugu East/Isi-Uzo constituencies, citing improper party sponsorship, and declared the PDP candidates as the duly elected representatives. On the other hand, it upheld the elections of LP candidates for Enugu North/Enugu South, Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani, and Udenu/Igbo-Eze North federal constituencies.
The tribunal also ruled that the LP candidate for Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River Federal Constituency, Chijioke Okereke, was not a valid candidate in the election. The panel, led by Justice Nusirat Umar, supported a petition filed by Mr. Anayo Onwuegbu (Omeihe-Ukwu) of the PDP, contesting Okereke’s candidacy. The tribunal directed INEC to issue the certificate of return to the PDP candidate, as Okereke was not the rightful winner of the polls.
It was noted that the name of former minority leader of the House of Representatives, Toby Okechukwu, appeared on the list published by INEC for the election and on the result sheet, not that of Okereke. Okereke had previously sought a High Court judgment in his favor, claiming the LP ticket after Okechukwu distanced himself from being an LP member.
Additionally, the tribunal recently removed Prof. Sunday Nnamchi, who represented Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency, and ordered INEC to issue a certificate of return to Prince Cornelius Nnaji of the PDP as the validly elected candidate for the constituency.
NNPP candidate loses
In Kano, the National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal on Sunday invalidated the election of Yusuf Datti from the NNPP for the Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam Federal Constituency. The tribunal, led by Justice Flora Azingbe, voided Yusuf’s election due to his failure to resign from his position as a lecturer at Bayero University, Kano, within 30 days before the election. Justice Azingbe also found that Datti couldn’t establish his membership in the NNPP. Consequently, the tribunal declared Musa Kwankwaso of the APC as the rightful winner of the election. Kwankwaso previously served as the Commissioner for Rural Development during the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje in Kano State.
In a related development, Linus Okorie, the LP candidate for Ebonyi South Zone, criticized the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for asserting his right to choose his successor in the Senate. Okorie urged Umahi to focus on delivering high-quality and long-lasting roads to Nigerians instead of engaging in intense political maneuvering to determine his Senate replacement.
