The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State on Monday sacked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate of representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency, Lazarus Ogbee.
The Court also declared the petitioner and candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chinedu Ogah winner of the election and ordered INEC to immediately issue a certificate of return to him.
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In a unanimous judgment delivered by the chairman of the tribunal Justice Sika Henry-Aprioku amidst very tight security, at high court premises in Abakaliki the Ebonyi state capital, the tribunal held that the votes garnered by the APC candidate during the election were erroneous and wrongfully rejected by INEC electoral officers in some wards in the federal constituency.
The court, however, restored 8,000 votes to Ogah from votes which were earlier cancelled by INEC in some wards in Ikwo and Onueke urban in Ezza South local government.
The tribunal, however, ruled that Ogah scored the highest votes of 36,238 and withdraw the one earlier given to the PDP candidate Mr Lazarus Ogbee who scored 33,263 votes.
Barrister Mba Ukweni who is the counsel to Ogah lauded the judgment of the tribunal.
Barrister Roy Umahi counsel to the PDP candidate said he is disappointed. He says his client will surely appeal the judgment.
However, the APC candidate Chinedu Ogah while addressing journalists commended the judiciary for restoring the confidence of the people in the judiciary and remaining the last hope of the masses.