Toba Owojaiye Reporting
In a significant development, the Abia State election petition tribunal has issued a resolute judgment, affirming Governor Alex Otti’s election victory and delivering a substantial blow to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Okey Ahaiwe.
The tribunal, which convened in Umuahia, made a decisive ruling, dismissing three crucial arguments presented by Okey Ahaiwe against Governor Alex Otti, deeming them devoid of merit. Ahaiwe had contested the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Otti as the rightful governor.
Represented by his lawyer, Paul Ananaba, SAN, Ahaiwe had urged the court to remove Otti and declare himself the legitimate winner, alleging that Otti’s electoral triumph did not adhere to Section 77 of the Electoral Act, among other grievances.
In a unanimous verdict, the tribunal rejected all of Ahaiwe’s claims, asserting their lack of merit.
The tribunal’s pronouncement triggered spontaneous celebrations among thousands of Liberal Party (LP) supporters who had gathered from various corners of the state. They expressed their elation through dancing and jubilation outside the Federal High Court complex.
Meanwhile, the tribunal is currently deliberating another case brought forth by Ikechi Emenike of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against Governor Otti. Emenike’s case revolves around allegations that Otti did not formally resign from the APC before joining the LP and that Otti’s name was not on the LP’s electoral register when he contested the gubernatorial election on March 18th. The outcome of this case is yet to be determined.
To put the election results in perspective, Mr. Otti secured 172,246 votes, while Mr. Ahaiwe of the PDP garnered 78,628 votes, resulting in a substantial margin of 93,618 votes between the LP and PDP candidates.