Sen. Osita Ngwu
The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu has upheld the election of Osita Ngwu of the Peoples Democratic Party as the Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial Zone in the state.
Ngwu who was returned as the winner of the February 25, 2023 poll was the only PDP winner out of the three Senatorial seats in the state, as Enugu East and Enugu North senatorial zones were clinched by Kelvin Chukwu and Okey Ezea, both of the Labour Party.
Dissatisfied with the result of the election, Dennis Oguerinwa Amadi, the candidate of the Labour Party headed to the tribunal to challenge the outcome of the election.
But in a ruling Tuesday, September 12, 2023, the tribunal held that the petitioner committed a fatal error in presenting their case by merging allegations of non compliance with the electoral act and corrupt practices.
The tribunal held that the petitioner should have separated the two cases and particularise their facts to support both positions.
On the allegation of over-voting, which was one of the grounds of the petition, the court held that the petitioner couldn’t particularise his pleadings despite bringing witnesses that gave evidence on that and ballot papers. The court said those ballot papers were dumped on the court and there’s no evidence showing were the ballot papers emanated from.
It is not yet known whether Rt. Hon. Oguerinwa Amadi and the Labour Party will appeal the decision of the tribunal.