November 08, (THEWILL) – The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos has affirmed the election of member representing the Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikenga Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere.
A three-member panel of Justices of the Court led by Abubakar Babandi Gumel, declared Ugochinyere as the validly elected Member of the House of Representatives representing the Constituency.
The court, in a unanimous judgement on Wednesday, set aside the ruling of the National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, which nullified Ugochinyere’s election.
The Imo State National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Nasarawa had, on September 10, sacked Ugochinyere, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State.
The ruling followed a petition marked: EPT/IM/HR/10/2023 filed before the Tribunal by candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abazu Chika Benson.
The Petitioner had contended that Ugochinyere was not qualified to participate in the February 25th National Assembly Election because the primary election of the PDP where he emerged as candidate was conducted at a venue outside the constituency.
About the Author
