The election of Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Governor of Abia State, Southeast Nigeria, has been affirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
YaahooJournalist reports that the Supreme Court delivered the final judgment on Ikpeazu’s election on Wednesday, January 8, dismissing the appeal brought before it by Alex Orti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Paul Galinje, the Supreme Court held that the appellant reliance solely on the smart card readers in proving the alleged over voting was fatal to their case.
Ikpeazu Election
Justice Galinje held that the law is clear that the petitioner must tender the voters’ register, relate the document to the specific area where the documents were affected.
The Supreme Court judge heled that the law is clear that the petitioner must tender the voters’ register, relate the document to the specific area where the documents were affected.
Justice Galinje stressed the card reader print out tendered by the appellant at the trial tribunal cannot be converted into the constitution or electoral act which is the yardstick for proving over voting.
The judge concluded that the appellant failed to lead credible evidence in proof of their case, adding that the two lower courts were right to dismiss the appeal.
Justice Galinjemaintained that the case will suffer the same fate in the supreme court and is hereby dismissed.
