Three members of the Labour Party (LP) in the House of Representatives, namely Ibe Okwara Osonwa, Emeka Nnamani, and Munachim Alozie, were ousted from the National Assembly by the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Umuahia on Monday, September 11. The tribunal sided with the petitioners’ arguments in their decision.
Ibe Okwara Osonwa, who represented the Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency under the LP banner, was unseated by the tribunal led by Justice Adeyinka Adegberegbe. The tribunal ruled in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Daniel Chimezie Okeke, who successfully argued that Osonwa’s election did not adhere to the rule of law. Consequently, Daniel Chimezie Okeke was declared the winner, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was instructed to withdraw Osonwa’s certificate of return and issue a new one to Okeke of the APC.
Similarly, Emeka Nnamani, the representative of Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency, was removed from his position, and Alex Mascot of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) was declared the victor. The tribunal supported Alex Mascot’s petition, which raised questions about Emeka Nnamani’s academic qualifications.
In Osisioma/Obingwa/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency, Munachim Alozie of the Labour Party (LP) had his victory nullified by the election tribunal, which also directed INEC to conduct a re-run election within 90 days. The tribunal’s decision was based on the belief that Munachim Alozie’s margin of victory was too narrow in comparison to the number of disenfranchised voters during the February 25 election.