An Appeal Court sitting in Owerri on Saturday sacked Obinna
Onwubuariri, the member representing Isiala Mbano/Onuimo/Okigwe
federal constituency of Imo in the House of representatives.
The court also nullified the election of Uju Onwudiwe of the Action
Alliance (AA) representing Njaba state constituency and ordered fresh
elections in 12 polling units within 90 days.
The PDP candidate, Charles Abia had challenged the victory of Onwudiwe
in the appeal court.
The Chairman of the Panel, Justice R.N Pemu, who read the judgment,
said that the election that brought Onwubuariri of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) to power on February 23 was not in tandem with
the electoral act of 2010, as amended.
The appellate court said the lower court was right to have ordered a
fresh election in the federal constituency.
Pemu said the petitioner, Miriam Onuoha of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), was able to prove her allegations of over-voting,
mutilation of figures and violence which marred the election.
The court, therefore, ordered the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return it had earlier
issued Onwubuariri and conduct a fresh election in the entire federal
constituency within 90 days.
The tribunal had sacked Onwubuariri, but the lawmaker dissatisfied
with the judgment appealed the judgment.
