By Vivian Okejeme Abuja
Candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25, National Assembly election for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency, Onunwor Ndamati has asked the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja to declare him as winner of the election.
This is as the 3-man panel led by Justice Chris Eze, has reserved judgment in the petition.
Ndamati and his party, are prating the Tribunal to sack Chinda Ogundu of the Peoples Democratic Party from the House of Representatives , having not been duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast at the election for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency held on February 25, 2023, insisting that Ogundu’s declaration and return by the Independent National Electoral Commission as winner of the election are “unlawful, null and void and of no effect”.
Specifically, the petitioners want an order declaring null and void the certificate of return wrongly issued to the Ogundu by INEC as the winner of the election for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency.
More so, Ndamati is seeking an order directing INEC to forthwith issue a certificate of return to him as winner of the election for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Respondents in the petition markedEPT/RV/HR/09/2023, are the INEC, Chinda Ogundu and the Peoples Democratic Party.
The Tribunal hinted that judgment date would be communicated to all parties, shortly after lawyers representing various parties had adopted their written addresses as their final. arguments.
In his final address dated July 21, 2023, counsel to the Petitioners, Bonaventure Ugwu urged the Tribunal to uphold the petition and grant reliefs sought by the Petitioners.
Ogwu submitted that it was apparent that the results collated in Exhibit LP971 are not a true reflection of the votes of the 1st Petitioner and the 2nd Respondent (Ogundu) at the polling units.
