The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia has upheld the victory of Orji Uzor Kalu representing Abia-North Senatorial district in the February 25 polls.
A three-man panel led by Justice Samson Paul -Gang in its ruling dismissed the petition of People’s Democratic Party’s Mao Ohuabunwa and Labour Party’s Nnamdi Iro Orji for lacking merit.
According to the court, the election of former Senate Chief Whip compiled with the provisions of the Electoral Act, faulting the arguments of both petitioners that election did not hold in over 120 polling units mainly in Ohafia and Arochukwu Local Government Areas of the zone.
The court in its constitutional interpretation also validated Senator Kalu’s eligibility to contest the election stating that his trial and conviction was defeated by the supreme court.
Kalu a two-time Lawmaker who currently presides as the Chairman Senate committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation was declared winner by INEC of the keenly contested February 25 Senatorial polls having scored 30,805 votes to defeat Nnamdi who got 27,540 votes.
