Posted by The lawsuit contesting the proclamation of Mr. Alex Otti as the victor of the Abia State governorship election held on March 18, 2023, has been set for decision by the Abia State lawsuit Election Tribunal, located in Umuahia, the state capital, on October 6, 2023.
Chief Ikechi Emenike, the All Progressive Congress’ candidate for governor in the March 18 election, had petitioned the court to have Otti fired on claims that he had not resigned from the party before joining the Labour Party.
Additionally, he said that Otti’s name was not on the Labour Party register prior to his nomination as the organization’s candidate for governor.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, the Young Progressives Party, and Okey Ahaiwe, a candidate for the People’s Democratic Party, all signed the petition.
Abiodun Owolekoko (SAN), Otti’s lead attorney, indicated that his team was hopeful that the tribunal verdict will favor his client.
We have finished the trial and adoption today, and the tribunal has set the decision date for October 6th.
Tochukwu Maduka (SAN), the attorney for Emenike, asserted that the defendant’s attorney had neglected to present the Labour Party register in which Emenike’s name appeared.
He claimed that his team asked the court to throw out Otti’s votes, along with those of the PDP and YPP candidates, and declare his client the election’s legitimate victor after receiving the most legal votes.
Professor Paul Anaba, the PDP’s lead attorney, stated that his team supported the petitioner’s decision to fire Otti, but added that the PDP will gain from the petition because Otti’s claim that he did not quit as the former’s chief of staff does not hold up in court.