Tribunal uphold’s Ikpeazu’s victory as Abia governor

The declared guber election victory of governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state was today (Tuesday ) endorsed by the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which had Mr Justice Usman Bwala as Chairman.

Ikpeazu contested the election on PDP platform. His INEC declared victory in respect of the state guber election held on April 11th and a supplementary one on 25 April 2015 was challenged at the tribunal by his closest rival Dr Alex Otti of APGA.

The Tribunal who began sitting in Umuahia high court premises by 9.15 am and commenced reading of its judgement that lasted for about two hours, dismissed Otti’s petition for his failure to prove his allegations.

According to the judgement read by Justice Bwala, Otti contradicted himself when he both asked the Tribunal to cancel the election and at the same time declare him ( Otti ) the winner of the election while some of his witnesses also contradicted themselves in their submissions.

The Tribunal consequently dismissed Otti’s petition but with no order as to cost. In his opening address before the tribunal commenced siting which he said was also its valedictory address, Justice Bwala said “everything with a beginning must have an end . Today comes the end of our sitting in Abia state.