APC challenges Abia guber tribunal verdict at Supreme Court

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State has rejected the judgement of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that affirmed the victory of Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP) in the March 18, 2023, gubernatorial election. The party has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the tribunal’s decision and declare its candidate, Dr. Ikechi Emenike, as the rightful winner.

The tribunal, which delivered its judgement on Friday, October 6, 2023, in Umuahia, dismissed the petitions filed by the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Otti, who polled 175,467 votes to defeat his closest rival, Chief Okey Ahaiwe of the PDP, who got 88,529 votes.

Emenike had challenged the eligibility of Otti, Ahaiwe, and Nwafor to contest the election, alleging that they did not meet the constitutional requirements. He claimed that Otti was not a member of the LP before he secured its ticket, and Ahaiwe did not resign his position as Chief of Staff to former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu before emerging as the PDP candidate after the death of Prof.

The APC chairman in Abia State, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu, described the tribunal’s judgement as unacceptable and “the mother of miscarriage of justice”.

Otti, on his part, expressed confidence in his victory and called on his opponents to accept the outcome of the tribunal with humility and join hands with him to work for the development of Abia State.