- LP chairmanship candidate tasks Edo CJ on council election tribunal
Court of Appeal in Abuja, yesterday, sacked Ndudi Elumelu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was declared winner of the Delta State Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency election.
It overturned the decision of the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal in Asaba, declaring the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Ngozi Okolie, the winner of the election on February 25, 2023.
In two rulings, the appellate court criticised the tribunal for voiding Okolie’s election, denying Elumelu’s petition before the trial tribunal, which resulted in the void judgement.
It agreed with the Labour Party’s lawyer, Mahmud Magaji, that contrary to the tribunal’s findings, Okolie was duly nominated and sponsored by his party.
Also, the court ruled that he duly resigned his appointment as a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Delta State government in accordance with the Constitution.
Recall that on February 25, Okolie polled a total vote of 53,879 to defeat the incumbent Minority Leader, Elumelu, who pulled 33,456, while Tony Nwaake polled 11, 712 votes.
IN another development, the LP chairmanship candidate for Oredo Local Council, Edo State, Daniel Ero, has appealed to the state Chief Judge to establish a local government tribunal, in line with Section 78 of the state LG election law 2012.
According to him, the provision is not merely a legal formality, but a fundamental pillar of the democratic system, essential for ensuring fairness, justice and the rule of law.
In a letter to the Chief Judge of the state, Ero noted that the establishment of the tribunal after election would have promptly addressed and resolved disputes that arose from the electoral processes.
In the letter, copied to the Chief Justice of Nigeria/Chairman National Judicial Council and Supreme Court of Nigeria, Ero lamented that the recent local election elections in the state were marred by voter suppression, violence and serious irregularities.
