ASABA, Nigeria – The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Asaba, Delta State, has annulled the election of Ngozi Okolie of the Labour Party as the representative for the Aniocha/Oshimili Constituency in the House of Representatives.
The tribunal ruled that Okolie was not a member of the Labour Party as of May 28, 2022, the primary election date, and therefore the party did not properly sponsor him.
Consequently, the tribunal declared the runner-up in February 25, 2023, National Assembly election, Ndudi Elumelu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the winner.
Elumelu, the immediate past Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, had submitted a petition to the tribunal, challenging Okolie’s victory.
This significant shift of power follows Okolie’s initial declaration as the election winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The tribunal’s decision dramatically alters the political landscape in the Aniocha/Oshimili Constituency, with Elumelu, a veteran lawmaker, again taking on a representative role.
This decision also underscores the ongoing debates about candidate sponsorship, party membership, and the transparency of election processes in Nigeria.
The tribunal’s ruling reinforces the importance of these factors, demonstrating that they can significantly influence electoral outcomes.
As the dust from this dramatic decision settles, attention is now focused on the reactions from the Labour Party, Okolie, and the constituents of the Aniocha/Oshimili Constituency.
#AllEyesOnTheJudiciary: Atiku Calls Out APC and Tinubu for Intimidation of Election Tribunal Judges
Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in February’s presidential election, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and agents of Bola Tinubu, the declared election victor, of intimidating the Appeal Court justices hearing election petitions.
In a statement issued on Saturday, July 22, 2023, by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Mr. Abubakar alleged that the APC and Mr. Tinubu’s agents are pressuring the judiciary to deliver judgments in their favor and have threatened anarchy if outcomes don’t meet their expectations.
Mr. Abubakar, a former vice president, referred to media reports indicating plans to harass judges involved in hearing the petitions, warning of potential threats to national peace and security.
Drawing on past incidents, he reminded Nigerians of the APC-led Federal Government’s removal of then-Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, in 2019, when it became clear he wouldn’t bend to the government’s will.
He also cited cases in 2016 and 2017 when the Department of State Services stormed judges’ homes in what was widely seen as intimidation.
“The plot of the APC is simple: intimidate the judiciary, threaten judges with arrest so that they will bow to their will,” Mr. Abubakar said.
He pointed to the 2019 replacement of Justice Onnoghen with Tanko Muhammad, who was later accused of corruption by his colleagues at the Supreme Court, leading to his resignation. He argued that the APC government’s lack of action against Muhammad revealed the plot’s true motive.
“The APC government did not go after Tanko Muhammad as it did in Onnoghen’s case because it was never about corruption but the election,” he said.
Emphasizing the principles of democracy and the rule of law, Mr. Abubakar argued that the judiciary must be allowed to act independently, free from governmental or powerful interests.
“To compromise the workings of our democracy and seeking to compromise the workings of our judiciary is an open call for anarchy,” he added, calling on the international community to monitor the situation closely.
Mr. Abubakar pledged his commitment to resist attempts to undermine the nation’s democracy within the bounds of the law. He urged security agencies to maintain professionalism and avoid becoming tools of oppression against the judiciary.
