Tribunal sacks house of representatives member Simon Atigwe, declares Labour Party candidate elected
Maureen Edozie in Enugu
A member of the House of Representatives represents Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency in Enugu State at the national assembly Hon Simon Atigwe, has been sacked by the National Election Petition Tribunal in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
Penpushing reports that the tribunal headed by Justice H. N. Kunaza sacked the lawmaker in a ruling on Wednesday and also declared the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Dennis Agbo, winner of a rerun election held in February 2024
The Labour Party (LP) Candidate it is recalled was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 25 February 2023 National Assembly Election in the constituency, but the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the election, Oby Ajih, challenged the outcome of the election at the Court of Appeal in Lagos State.
Penpushing further reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, however, argued that the election did not follow the right process as the logo of her party was not in the INEC’s EC8A form for the exercise.
The court, therefore in November 2023, voided the election and ordered a re-run election in the constituency within 90 days, and at the re-run held on February 3, 2024 Atigwe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared winner of the exercise.
Penpushing also reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 23,863 votes to defeat the Labour Party (LP) candidate who polled 23, 226 votes, and was subsequently sworn thereafter.
The Labour Party (LP) Candidate, however, proceeded to the tribunal to challenge Atigwe’s declaration, while the tribunal in a judgment held that Agbo’s petition had merit and consequently declared him the actual winner of the re-run election for the constituency.
Penpushing reports that the panel emphasized that Atigwe was not duly elected by the valid votes cast as the petitioner (Agbo) won with 23,221 and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)21,863 votes, and equally ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Atigwe and issue it to Agbo.
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