Tribunal nullifies Enugu PDP lawmaker’s election, orders rerun

The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu on Friday nullified the election of Okey Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner of the March 18 House of Assembly poll for the Nkanu East State Constituency.

The tribunal also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a rerun election in the affected polling units within 90 days.

The Labour Party candidate, Mr Okwudiri Nnaji had challenged the declaration of Mbah as the winner of the election, citing overvoting and other electoral irregularities.

Delivering judgement in the petition, a three-member panel of the tribunal led by Justice Adie Onyebueke, nullified the election and ordered a rerun in some polling units in Ugbawka and Owo wards where election results were inflated.

The court held that the election fell short of all indices saying it was marred by gross substantial noncompliance with the Electoral Act.