FCT: Fate Of LP’s Senator Ireti Kingibe Uncertain As Appeal Court Reserves Judgement In Aduda’s Case

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, Wednesday, reserved judgment in the application filed by former Senator Philip Aduda of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the election victory of Senator Ireti Kingibe, the lawmaker representing the Federal Capital Territory under the Labour party platform.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer for the FCT senatorial election, Prof. Sani Saka, had declared Kingibe winner of the poll after garnering 202,175 votes.

She defeated Senator Aduda who scored 100,544 votes and came second.

But Aduda’s legal team approached the national assembly election petitions tribunal sitting in Abuja, seeking the nullification of Kingibe’s victory.

Aduda’s legal team had alleged that collation of results across the FCT area councils were yet to be concluded before Kingibe was declared winner.

The tribunal, however, dismissed Aduda’s petition for lacking in merit while upholding Kingibe’s victory at the February 25 polls.

Aduda’s legal team disagreed with the tribunals verdict and applied to the Court of Appeal for redress.

On Wednesday, the legal team of the parties were present before the three-man panel of the Appeal Court led by Justice Km Kalio.

Aduda’s legal team asked the court to set aside the decision of tribunal and affirm their client winner of the poll.

But Ireti’s team told the court to uphold the judgment of the tribunal.

After hearing the parties, the Court of Appeal reserved judgment to a “date to be communicated to parties.”