ELECTION TRIBUNAL: APC, PDP CHALLENGE LP GUBER VICTORY IN ABIA
REPORTER: JOHN MADUAGWU
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have formally filed their petitions challenging the emergence of Dr. Alex Otti of Labour Party (LP) as the Governor-Elect of Abia State.
The Secretary of the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abia State, Mr. Bello Hassan, made this known in a telephone interview with Radio Nigeria.
Mr. Hassan said the two parties were able to beat the deadline stipulated for filling a petition before the tribunal in line with the provisions of the law.
Recall that on March 22, 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Dr. Alex Otti winner of the 2023 governorship election in Abia State having polled a total of 175,467 votes to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the PDP, Chief Okey Ahaiwe, who got 88,529 votes.
The candidate of APC, Chief Ikechi Emenike, had secured 24,091 votes in the election.
Meanwhile the Justice M.M. Gwatana led panel handling the Governorship Election Petitions had earlier granted the reliefs sought by PDP and Labour Party for inspection of materials used by INEC for the conduct of the March 18, 2023 Governorship election in Abia State.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
