Get Guardian on GoogleA member of the House of Representatives representing Aniocha-Oshimili Federal Constituency, Delta State, Ngozi Okolie, yesterday, faulted the tribunal judgment that annulled his election.
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The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, had, on Monday, nullified the election of Okolie, who was elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), declaring Ndudi Elumelu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner.
Speaking to journalists on the judgement, Okolie said: “It is unlawful, because it has no legal basis.” She cited a recent court judgement in Atiku vs Tinubu, in which the court ruled that issues of candidacy were internal affairs of political parties.
The former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and candidate of PDP, Elumelu, had filed a petition before the tribunal praying it to disqualify Okolie.
Elumelu, in the petition no EPT/DL/HR/06/2023, argued that Okolie was not properly sponsored by LP, and that he did not resign his position as a public officer.
The three-member tribunal panel headed by Justice A.Z. Mussa, in its ruling, disqualified Okolie, declaring the runner up in the election, Elumelu, as winner.
The tribunal held that Okolie was not duly sponsored by LP, and that he was not a member of the party as at May 28, 2022, when the primary purportedly held. It also resolved, in favour of the petitioners, that the 2nd respondent (Okolie) did not resign from public office to contest the elections.
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