N/Assembly poll: PDP wins appeal in Anambra, Sokoto

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday won two of its appeals against the verdicts of the Election Petitions Tribunal at the Court of Appeal in Anambra and Sokoto states.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue Certificate of Return to Hon. Obinna Chidoka of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the authentic winner of the February 23 election for Idemili North/ South Federal Constituency of Anambra State.

The court also directed INEC to withdraw the certificate of return from the House of Representatives member representing Idemili North and Idemili South Constituency, Hon Ifeanyi Ibezi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Also, the Court of Appeal Sokoto Division has ordered fresh election in the Sokoto North/Sokoto South Federal Constituency of the state.

The INEC had declared Alhaji Bala Hassan of All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the 2019 election into the constituency.

But People’s Democratic Party, PDP candidate in the 2019 election, Abubakar Abdullahi filed a petition at the Elections Tribunal, alleging that the poll was marred by irregularities.

The tribunal dismissed the petition stating that the petitioners failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.

However, the PDP candidate appealed against the judgement of Election Petitions Tribunal.

Delivering the verdict, Justice Frederick Oho of the Court of Appeal said the appeal succeeded. Justice Oho ordered INEC to conduct rerun election within 90 days.