The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, Abia State has dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party’s petition candidate Okey Ahaiwe against Governor Alex Otti and the Labour Party.
Ahaiwe had challenged the declaration of Otti as the duly elected governor by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC
In his prayers through his Lawyer, Paul Ananaba, SAN, Ahaiwe had urged the court to remove Otti and declare him the winner.
The grounds of petition as formulated by the Petitioners included: “that the Respondent was not qualified to run, did not win majority lawful votes, and that there were irregularities at the poll.
In her ruling, the tribunal presided over by Hon. Justice H. T. D Gwadah said that the petitioners, the PDP and others, “failed in their three grounds and their petitions dismissed for lack of merit.”
The victory threw thousands of LP supporters who came from different parts of the State into spontaneous jubilation, as they danced in joy and celebration outside the Federal High Court complex.
Counsel to the Petitioners, Chukwuemeka Nworgu, thanked the Tribunal and requested a copy of the judgment to enable his client determine the next line of action after a careful study.
Meanwhile the tribunal is presently handling the case brought by Ikechi Emenike of the APC against Otti.
