Abia Tribunal dismisses plea of LP candidate, upholds Obianyi’s victory

Lewis Chinaemerem Obianyi’s election as the member representing Ukwa East State seat in the Abia State House of Assembly has been affirmed by the Election Petition Tribunal, who is based in Umuahia, Abia State.

After considering the petition filed by Mr. Ekeke Adiele, the Labour Party’s candidate, contesting Obianyi’s election, the tribunal ruled against it.

The panel, consisting of three members and overseen by Hon. Justice Aderibigbe, unanimously decided on Wednesday that petitioner Ekeke had not provided sufficient evidence to support his claim that there was significant “non compliance” with electoral regulations during the election.
A further decision made by the tribunal stated that Mr. Okeke Adiele, the initial petitioner, did not run in the election and did not have the legal standing to challenge the outcome.

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The petitioner was dismissed for lack of merit by the tribunal, which further stated that the petitioner was unable to meet the burden of proof for “non compliance.”

Chidozie Ogunji, Obianyi’s primary attorney, praised the tribunal’s ruling in response to the verdict, claiming that justice had been served in this context.

As for Obianyi, he responded by saying he was happy that his mandate, which he had won by voting, held.

In the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Abia State House Assembly primary election in the Ukwa-East State constituency, Mr. Adiele Ekeke, a Commissioner with the Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ASOPADEC), ran under the name Mr. Okeke Adiele throughout his petition filing.