The Appeal Court in Lagos has reaffirmed Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Abia North Senatorial District election.
The appellate court, on Monday, rejected the petitions filed by Nnamdi Iro Orji (Opotoyom) of the Labour Party (LP) and Mao Ohuabunwa of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The court’s decision hinged on the absence of a valid conviction of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu under section 66 of the Nigerian Constitution, as the previous conviction had been nullified.
This ruling upholds the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal’s earlier decision, which had already validated Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s victory in the February 25, 2023 polls.
A three-judge panel led by Justice Samson Paul-Gang had unanimously dismissed the petitions of Mao Ohuabunwa from the PDP and Nnamdi Iro Orji from the Labour Party back on September 12.
The court determined that the election of Kalu of the APC complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Additionally, the tribunal judges refuted the arguments presented by the petitioners, who claimed that the election did not take place in over 120 polling units, primarily in Ohafia and Arochukwu Local Government Areas.
Nnamdi Iro and Ohuabunwa, who came in second and third, respectively, had individually requested the court to annul the election results that had been declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) due to alleged irregularities.
The court also dismissed the PDP and LP’s claim that the total number of registered voters in the affected polling units significantly exceeded the margin of victory between Kalu and the first and second runners-up.
Furthermore, the court reaffirmed Kalu’s eligibility to run for the election, noting that his trial and conviction had been overturned by the Supreme Court.
In summary, two other cases filed by the Labour Party challenging Kalu’s election were similarly dismissed by the Tribunal judges, thereby confirming Orji Uzor Kalu as the duly elected Senator of Abia North.
Kalu, a prominent member of the APC, was officially declared the winner by the INEC returning officer for Abia North, Mr. Chinedu Nnamdi, in Ohafia.
In the February 25, 2023, Senatorial polls, Kalu, a two-time legislator who currently chairs the Senate Committee on Privatization and Commercialization, secured victory with 30,805 votes, defeating his closest rival, Nnamdi, who received 27,540 votes. Ohuabunwa of the PDP secured 15,175 votes, placing third in the election.
