The Imo Sate National and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal has sacked the lawmaker representing Ehime Mbano/Ihite-Uboma/ Obowo federal constituency, Mr. Okeke Jonas Onwuegbu.

The tribunal, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices, held that Onwuegbu, who was declared winner of the House of Representatives election that held on February 25, was not validly nominated by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

In the lead judgement that was read by Justice Ibrahim Mohammed, the tribunal held that in violation of the provision of section 84 (5) (c)bof the Electoral Act 2022, the PDP, conducted the primary election that produced Onwuegbu as its candidate, in a venue that was outside the constituency.

Consequently, it held that the PDP conducted a primary election that was unknown to law.

Besides, the tribunal, which conducted its proceedings in Nasarawa state, issued an order, setting aside “the purported return of the 1st respondent as winner of the Ehime Mbano/Ihite-Uboma/ Obowo federal constituency election.”

The judgement followed a petition marked: EPT/IM/HR/17/2023, which was filed before the tribunal by candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Nwachukwu Austine.

Even though it nullified Onwuegbu’s of election, the tribunal, said it could not issue further consequential orders that were not sought by the petitioner.

According to the tribunal, the petitioner, having failed to seek further reliefs, “we will not play the role of Santa Claus even if it is Christmas season.”

It will recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared Onwuegbu of the PDP as winner of the election with a total of 19,468 votes.

His closest rival, Okafor Chike John of the All Progressives Congress, APC, got 15, 920 votes, the LP candidate, Austine, came third with a total of 6, 877 votes, while the candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Reginald Keke, came a distant fourth with a total of 1, 506 votes.

However, dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, candidates of the APC, LP and PRP, approached the tribunal to nullify the election.

Meanwhile, the tribunal is set to deliver its judgement on the petition that the candidate of the APC, John, filed to be declared the authentic winner of the House of Reps election.

The Imo State National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, in Petition No EPT/IM/HR/13/2024 has nullified the return of the PDP candidate, Hon Jonas Okeke as the House of Representatives member for Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma, Obowo federal constituency in Imo state.

In a unanimous decision, the three-man panel comprising Justice Anthony Olotu Akpovi (Chairman), Justice Usman A.S Kudu, and Justice Ibrahim Mohammed declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Deacon Chike Okafor, as the duly elected candidate of the election conducted on 25th February 2023.

Hon. Chike Okafor, a two-term federal lawmaker, who served as the 8th Assembly Chairman of the Committee on Healthcare Services, Chairman of Adhoc Committee on Non-Oil Revenue and Remittances, and a member of the Committees of Appropriation, Finance, Banking and Currency, among others in the 9th Assembly challenged the declaration of Jonas Okeke by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the election on the grounds that the respondent was not duly sponsored and qualified to contest the election under the candidacy of the People Democratic Party, PDP.

In its judgment on the petition, the tribunal agreed with the petitioner that the candidate of the PDP was not qualified to contest the election, and subsequently ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Jonas Okeke, and issue same to Hon Chike Okafor.

slivertongue:
something dubious is happening in imo.

AskNgige2:
My Obowo brother is also influenced negatively by his brother Kennedy and okonkwo.... Chike is now a bad egg in politics

garfield1:


Uzodinma at work though chike okafor is an ally of rochas

AskNgige2:


They broke up..

He now join Hope

AsomughaChuks05:
It is universally accepted that in democracy, the minority will have their say but the majority will have its way. Congratulations to the winner.

garfield1:


He won but was rigged out

garfield1:


No wonder he got apc ticket while pascal obi,uju Kingsley lost out

AskNgige2:


I heard he won, but my village pple Ehume and umuokeh were happy he lost..

Well he had been a lucky politician.

Last time Emeka nwajiuba won him with YPP and he later came back due to Emeka was given minister..

From banker who brought our billions left in his possession by ohakim during rochas and rochas made him commissioner for finance, from there went to house of rep even as rochas wife beg him to stay back for 2nd term but he refused as if he knew that rochas 2nd term became family bay..
Rochas would have removed him I guess...

Now here he is again, he just so lucky but he is not doing well due to bad guys around him..

He is a Pastor o