In a significant legal development, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned the judgment of the National and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal, which initially declared Ndudi Elumelu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the last election for Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in Delta State. The appellate court, sitting in Asaba, Delta State, has now affirmed Mr. Ngozi Okolie, the Labour Party candidate, as the duly elected lawmaker for the constituency.
The initial tribunal decision had led to the voiding of Mr. Okolie’s election and the subsequent dismissal of the petition filed by Mr. Elumelu. However, the Court of Appeal has disagreed with the tribunal’s findings and has ruled in favor of Mr. Okolie. The court recognized that Mr. Okolie was validly nominated and sponsored by his party and that he had fulfilled the constitutional requirement by resigning from his position as a Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Government.
This ruling has significant implications for the representation of the Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in Delta State, highlighting the legal intricacies and importance of due process in electoral matters.
