BREAKING: Okigwe North: Appeal Court Fines Onwubuariri, Affirms Princess Onuoha’s Election

The Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, Imo State, has affirmed the election of Princess Miriam Onuoha as the House of Representatives member representing Isiala Mbano/Onuimo/Okigwe federal constituency of Imo State.

At the sitting on Wednesday, the court threw out the application brought before it by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Obinna Onwubuariri, who had challenged the earlier affirmation of Onuoha’s victory by the tribunal.

The court said Onwubuariri’s application lacked merit and substantial evidence to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.

Onwubuariri was consequently fined N100, 000, while the court declared the election that brought Onuoha to office as free, fair and credible.

Onuoha, an advocate of development-oriented legislation, environmental consultant and women and youth empowerment activist was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives in January, 2020.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) member had replaced Onwubuariri whom she defeated during a rerun election for Okigwe North federal constituency.

Princess Onuoha is an environmental consultant with over ten years’ experience serving at different levels of leadership in national, state and local government establishments where she has initiated and driven interventions in development issues, environmental affairs, tourism as well as women and youth empowerment.

She is a graduate of Estate Management from the University of Lagos and holds a master’s degree in environmental planning and Protection from the University of Abuja.

Onuoha had worked as Member, Board of Nigerian Tourism Development Co-operation and served as Chairman, Tourism Development and Investment Committee where she led efforts to develop a roadmap for increased revenue in the tourism sector through public-private partnership.

She was a member, Imo State Implementation Committee, Community Services, Women & Youth Employment (CSWYE), and the Subsidy Re- Investment & Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

Onuoha also served as Senior Special Assistant to Bayelsa State Governor, International Development Co-operation between 2012 – 2014 where she designed work plan to tackle basic development challenges in the State.

She had previously served as Consultant to the Bayelsa State Government on Intergovernmental and Investment Matters and helped carry out comprehensive mapping of State’s environmental problems.