Appeal Court Upholds Otti’s Election As Governor Of Abia State

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Lagos, on Saturday, dismissed both the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressive Congress Appeals against Governor Alex Otti.

The State Election Petition Tribunal had upheld the Election of Otti of the Labour Party and dismissed the petitions of both PDP and APC in the ruling. But the two Parties dissatisfied with the decision of the Tribunal went to the Appeal Court to seek redress.

The Court, in it’s ruling, dismissed the petitions filed against the election victory of Otti by the PDP and APC for lacking merit.

The Appeal Court judges described the APC and PDP’s petitions as a comedy skit which should not have been brought up in a democratic setting.

The judges, while reading out it’s unanimous decision, ruled that the appellants failed to demonstrate or link their documentary evidence to the specific parts of their case.

The judges held that all the Certified True Copies of documents tendered at the election petition Tribunal, were merely dumped on the Tribunal and section 137 of the EA or Paragraph 46(4) of the First Schedule does not inject life in them.

“Appellants abandoned their ground of appeal that goes to the expunction of Exhibit P38 via PW4 by the Tribunal.” ‘Appellants failed to prove the 2nd and 3rd Grounds of their Petition.

“In all, the Appeal fails and is dismissed with costs assessed at 200,000 against the Appellants and in favor of the Respondent” the court ruled.