The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja, Tuesday, invalidated the election of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Effiong Bassey.
The court also ordered for a fresh poll within 90 days.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had announced Bassey of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP winner of Oron/Udung Uko state constituency.
The three-man panel led by Justice Moshood Oredola-Abdulrahman, ruled that the conduct of the April 11 poll in the state constituency did not conform with the provisions of the electoral law.
Victor Okon, the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, had approached the Election Petition Tribunal to seek the cancellation of Mr. Bassey’s election for alleged irregularities.
The tribunal had earlier ruled in favour of his opponent, but he approached the Court of Appeal and urged it to set aside the judgment, describing it as “pervasive and out of order”.
After considering the submissions by parties to the appeal, Mr. Oredola-Abdulrahman granted the prayers of the APC candidate and ruled that the election, which returned Mr. Bassey as the state house of assembly member be set aside.
Kommentare