- The tribunal ruled that Mr. Okeke Adiele, the first petitioner, was not the actual candidate who contested the election and therefore did not have the locus standi to contest the results.
- The tribunal dismissed the petition due to the petitioner’s inability to prove the ‘Non Compliance’ burden of proof.
Lewis Chinaemerem Obianyi’s election to the Abia State House of Assembly as the representative for the Ukwa East State seat has been affirmed by the election petition tribunal, which is based in Umuahia, Abia State.
In its decision, the tribunal dismissed the petition that Mr. Ekeke Adiele, the Labour Party’s candidate, had filed to challenge Obianyi’s election.
The three-member tribunal, presided over by Hon. Justice Aderibigbe, ruled unanimously on Wednesday that the petitioner, Ekeke, had failed to establish that the election had been significantly affected by ‘Non Compliance’ with electoral regulations.
The tribunal also ruled that the first petitioner, Mr Okeke Adiele was not the person, Mr Adiele Ekeke who contested the election and does not have the locus standi to contest the election results.
The tribunal added that the petitioner failed to establish the burden of proof of ‘Non Compliance’ and therefore, dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.
Reacting to the judgement, the lead counsel to Obianyi, Chidozie Ogunji hailed the tribunal for its decision, saying that justice has prevailed on the matter.
In his own reaction, Obianyi expressed joy that his mandate achieved through the ballot was preserved.
Mr Adiele Ekeke, who was a Commissioner in Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, ASOPADEC) had contested previous elections with same name, including the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Abia State House Assembly primary election in Ukwa-East State constituency, but filed his petition with the name Mr Okeke Adiele.
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