THE National and State Assemblies Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise a supplementary election in Abia North Senatorial District within three months.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in this year’s National Assembly election, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, had approached the tribunal, headed by Justice Akintoye Cornelius, to challenge the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
The PDP candidate alleged over-voting among other contentious issues raised in the February poll.
INEC returned Kalu elected in the poll.
The supplementary election, which will be conducted within 90 days, will take place in eight wards within Arochukwu Local Government Area and among other polling units in Ohafia and Isukwuato local government areas where votes were cancelled in Abia North Senatorial District.
Kalu was declared winner of the election by the Returning Officer, Dr. Charles Anumudu.
Ohuabunwa described Kalu’s victory as excess electoral fraud and daylight robbery.
He prayed the tribunal to overturn the INEC result.
Ohuabunwa’s lawyers told the tribunal that 38,526 votes were cancelled during collation of the result declared by the Returning Officer, Dr. who declared Kalu winner by polling 31,201 votes against Ohuabunwa who polled 20,80.
Source: The Nation
