Court of appeal sitting in Lagos has dismissed the appeal by Barr. Chijioke Okereke of the Labour Party challenging his removal by the Enugu State National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal.
The tribunal on September 8th, 2023 nullified Okereke’s election as the member representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River Federal Constituency. A decision he challenged at the Appeal Court.
In a judgement delivered on Monday, the Appeal Court upheld the decision of the tribunal that Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu (Omeihe-Ukwu) is the rightful winner of the election.
The three-man panel led by Justice Nusirat I. Umar declared Engr. Anayo Onwuegbu (Omeihe-Ukwu), the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, as the duly elected candidate of the February 25th, 2023 poll.
Engr. Onwuegbu had approached the tribunal challenging the declaration of Barr. Okereke on the grounds that he was a stranger to the election as he’s name isn’t on the result sheet as the candidate of the Labour Party.
The panel held that Okereke wasn’t a candidate for the election and accordingly, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to issue certificate of return to the PDP Candidate.
Former minority leader of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Toby Okechukwu’s name appeared on the list published by INEC for the election. Also, his name appeared on the result sheet and not that of Okereke.
However, it could be recalled that Okereke had approached a Federal High Court sitting in Enugu to claim the ticket of the Labour Party and a judgement was given in his favour after Hon. Okechukwu distanced himself from being a member of the Labour Party.