From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal on Thursday set aside the July 24 judgment by the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal in Asaba, declaring Ndudi Elumelu of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the last election for Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency of Delta State.
In his place, the appellate court in two separate judgments declared Ngozi Okolie of the Labour Party (LP) as winner of the election.
The court in a unanimous decision faulted the tribunal for voiding Okolie’s election and proceeded to dismiss the petition filed by Elumelu before the trial tribunal and on which the voided judgment was given.
It agreed with the submissions put forward by counsel to the Labour Party, Mahmud Magaji, SAN, that contrary to the finding of the tribunal, Okolie was duly nominated and sponsored by his party and that he resigned his appointment as a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Delta State Government as required by the Constitution.