The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu
State, on Thursday, upheld the election of Governor Peter Mbah of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP.
Mbah’s election was challenged by Barr Chijioke Edeoga of
the Labour Party, LP.
Major grounds of Edeoga’s petition centred on Mbah’s alleged
forgery of National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, certificate, irregularities
during the election, over-voting, among others.
Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Kudirat Morayo Akano
dismissed the petition in favour of the respondent, Mbah.
It struck out Edeoga’s application seeking to disqualify
Mbah over alleged forgery of NYSC certificate.
The panel held that NYSC certificate, according Section 177
of the 1999 Constitution, is not a requirement for contesting the governorship
election.
It ruled that Mbah did not submit his NYSC certificate to
INEC in aid of his qualification to contest for office of the governor, since
he was already qualified without the NYSC certificate.
The Tribunal equally dismissed allegations of over-voting
and bypassing of BVAS.
The panel also said that the witnesses presented by the
Labour Party were not duly accredited agents by INEC and that their testimony
was invalid.
It held that Mbah was duly elected as governor by majority
of lawful and valid votes cast during the election.
It had also earlier in the day dismissed the petition filed
by the People’s Redemption Party, PRP, governorship candidate, Elder
Christopher Agu.
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