Breaking: Appeal Court overturns Tribunal’s ruling, upholds election of APC candidate Joel-Onowakpo

Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas’ victory in the Delta South Senatorial District election on February 25 was maintained by the Court of Appeal, which is based in Asaba. The Court of Appeal dismissed the ruling of the National and State Houses of Assembly election petitions tribunal.

The five points raised in Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas’s appeal were deemed to have merit by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, who delivered the panel’s decision.

Michael Diden, also known as Ejele, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were fined N250,000 by the court.

Recall that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate, Michael Diden, also known as Ejele, and his party had contested Joel-Onowakpo’s victory in the 2023 National Assembly election, requesting that the tribunal nullify the INEC’s declaration of Joel-Onowakpo as the 2023 senatorial election winner.

Diden claimed that the majority of legitimate votes cast during the poll did not properly elect Joel-Onowakpo.

The Joel-Onowakpo election was deemed inconclusive by a three-member panel led by Justice Cathrine Ogunsola, who also directed the electoral body to hold a supplementary election in the Warri South council area of the Delta South senatorial district within ninety days.