The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu monday nullified the electon of Senator Gilbert Nnaji as the winner of the March 28 National Assembly election for Enugu-East senatorial zone by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The tribunal while delivering judgment in the petition brought by the candidate of the Peoples for Democratic Change (PDC) in the said election and former Governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaraoke Nnamani, ordered INEC to conduct fresh election in the senatorial zone within 90 days.
The tribunal had earlier dismissed the petition filed by the defeated candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Nsukka/Igboeze South Federal Constituency, Ifeanyi Asogwa, insisting that INEC was right in declaring the then candidate of the PDP, Hon. Ikechukwu Ugwuegede as the winner of the election.
In a swift reaction, Nnaji described the tribunal ruling as the beauty of democracy, noting however that he would challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal as “there’s absolutely no reason for the conduct of a fresh election in my zone.
In the judgment that lasted for about four-hours, the three-man tribunal presided over by its chairman, Justice Matthew Adewara, noted that the election that took place in Enugu-East senatorial zone did not comply with the 2010 Electoral Act as it was was marred by irregularities.
The tribunal said allegations of alteration of results, mutilations and cancellation were proven by the petitioners and nullified the result.
Relying heavily on the evidence of the forensic expert, who testified on behalf of Nnamani, the tribunal held that the irregularities alleged in the conduct of the election were “gross and fundamental,” pointing out that the exercise did not comply with the rule on accreditation of voters.
Adewara noted that with proven cases of multiple voting, ballot box snuffing and over voting, the tribunal had no other option but to nullify the election.
He said sufficient evidence before the court showed that no single incidence form was submitted to the tribunal by the respondents.
Nnamani, a former governor of Enugu State, had filed the petition at the tribunal, challenging the declaration of Nnaji as winner in the election.
