Tribunal declares PDP’s Akpulonu winner of Abia Assembly poll, fines LP’s candidate N200,000

The National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Umuahia, Abia State, dismissed the petition brought forth by Peter Azubuike, the Labour Party (LP) candidate for the Obingwa East State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, against Solomon Akpulonu, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Azubuike had alleged over-voting and sought the cancellation and rerun of 28 polling units, contending that the election which resulted in Akpulonu being the representative for Obingwa East Constituency did not comply with the Electoral Act.”

However, the tribunal headed by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, held that the Labour Party’s petition lacked merit and could not prove the allegation of overvoting and non-compliance of the election with the electoral act.

The tribunal declared Akpulonu as validly elected and awarded an N200,000 cost to be paid to the PDP candidate.

In an interview with journalists in Umuahia after the judgement, Akpulonu, a former majority leader of the Assembly, commended the tribunal for what he described as an erudite and well-considered judgment.

He enjoined Azubuike, whom he described as his cousin, to join hands with him to develop the constituency.

The counsel to the PDP candidate, Chidozie Ogunji, stated that the petition lacked merit and commended the tribunal for dismissing it.