Enugu Governorship Tribunal dismisses Edeoga’s petition, affirms Mbah

By Christiana Ekpa

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu State, yesterday upheld the election of Governor Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Peoples Daily reports that Mbah’s election was challenged by Barr Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party(LP).
Major grounds of Edeoga’s petition centred on Mbah’s alleged forgery of National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), certificate, irregularities during the election, over-voting, among others.
Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Kudirat Morayo Akano dismissed the petition in favour of the respondent, Mbah.
It struck out Edeoga’s application seeking to disqualify Mbah over alleged forgery of NYSC certificate.
The panel held that NYSC certificate, according Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution, is not a requirement for contesting the governorship election.
It ruled that Mbah did not submit his NYSC certificate to INEC in aid of his qualification to contest for office of the governor, since he was already qualified without the NYSC certificate.
The Tribunal equally dismissed allegations of over-voting and bypassing of BVAS.
The panel also said that the witnesses presented by the Labour Party were not duly accredited agents by INEC and that their testimony was invalid.
It held that Mbah was duly elected as governor by majority of lawful and valid votes cast during the election.
It had also earlier in the day dismissed the petition filed by the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), governorship candidate, Elder Christopher Agu.