In a surprising turn of events, the Appeal Court in Lagos has overturned the Election Tribunal’s decision to invalidate the Udenu/Igbo-Eze North Federal Constituency election that took place on February 18, 2023.
Furthermore, the court has disqualified the Labour Party’s candidate, Hon. Denis Agbo, who had been declared as the winner of the election.
This ruling was handed down on Friday, November 3, 2023, by a panel of three judges led by Justice A. O.
The court’s judgment was a response to a petition lodged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Hon. Dr. Oby Ajih, who contested the election’s outcome on the grounds of irregularities and electoral misconduct.
The court sided with the petitioner’s arguments and determined that the election had been significantly marred by irregularities that had a substantial impact on its results.
In light of its decision, the court has mandated that a fresh election be held within the constituency within 90 days.
Additionally, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been instructed to remove the disqualified Labour Party candidate, Hon. Agbo, from its records.
Hon. Dr. Oby Ajih, the APC candidate, expressed his contentment with the court’s verdict and commended the judges for upholding the principles of the rule of law and justice.
The nullification of the election and the disqualification of the Labor Party candidate have plunged the Udenu/Igboeze-North federal constituency into a state of uncertainty as political parties and candidates make preparations for a new election.
