Senator Uche Ekwunife: loses seat

Senator Uche Ekwunife has had her election nullified by the Appeal Court sitting in Enugu.

Chief Victor Umeh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA,  had challenged the verdict of the Anambra State Election Tribunal, which upheld the election of the senator representing Anambra Central district.

The Appeal court has called for a new poll within 90 days.

The election appeal tribunal however  upheld the election of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Enugu East Senatorial Zone, Sen. Gilbert Nnaji.

The tribunal chaired by Justice A.D. Yahaya set aside the lower tribunal judgment which cancelled the election and ordered a re-run.

Chimaroke Nnamani: loses case at appeal court

The lower tribunal had in its decision held that the election was marred with irregularities and non-compliance to the Electoral Act.

The tribunal held that the lower tribunal admitted the forensic report submitted by former Gov. Chimaroke Nnamani without substantial compliance to the law.

The tribunal dismissed the report, saying that there was no evidence by the petitioner to justify that the election that produced the respondent was not in compliance with the Electoral Act.

Yahaya noted that since the report had been struck out, the petition could not stand, adding that there would be no re-election and no declaration of the respondent as the winner.

Nnamani of the People for Democratic Change (PDC) had challenged the declaration of Nnaji as the winner of the election by INEC.

Senator Ekweremadu: survives

The lower tribunal earlier nullified the election and mandated INEC to conduct another one within 90 days, prompting Nnaji to go to the appeal tribunal.

In another ruling, the tribunal upheld the election of Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP as the senator representing Enugu West.

The tribunal held that the authentic candidate for the All Progressive Congress was Louisa Eze and not Philip Chukwudi.

Chukwudi had requested the tribunal to nullify the election that produced Ekweremadu as his name was excluded.

*Updated at 19.00Hrs