The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the election of Alex Otti as the Governor of Abia state.

Justice Uwani Abba-Aji who read the lead judgment, held that the appellants failed to prove substantial non-compliance in their appeal.

On the issue of Otti’s membership, the appellant had contended that he wasn’t validly nominated and sponsored by the Labour Party (LP) at the time of the election. However, the appellate court held that the issue of membership is an internal affair and as such lacks jurisdiction.

The apex court faulted the appellants for bringing the appeal to the court, tagging it as frivolous and vexatious.

Alex Otti had scored 175,466 votes to defeat Okey Ahiwe of the PDP, who polled 88,529 votes in the election early last year.

Otti Hails Verdict

While reacting to the verdict, Otti renewed his resolve to give Abia State good governance and thanked President Bola Tinubu for his resolve to leave the judiciary independent.

“I want to thank His Excellency, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu for remaining firm to the resolve that the judiciary should be independent.

“If he did not do that, perhaps, some of the judgments and verdicts that were given today may have been different.

“I want to encourage him to continue in that light. I believe that his nonintervention in the judiciary has produced positive results in the country today.

“A few places where people were getting ready to burn down places today have sheathed their swords because the rule of law prevailed,” Governor Otti noted.

Otti also called on residents of the state to team up and work for the good of Abia State irrespective of religious or political leanings.