APC wins as Tribunal in Delta kicks out PDP’s Igbakpa from National Assembly

The Election Petition Tribunal panel 1, sitting in Asaba, has quashed the election of Hon. Benson Rolands Igbakpa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the member representing Ethiope Federal Constituency in the green chambers of the National Assembly.

His main opponent at the poll, Hon. John Halims Agoda of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had approached the Tribunal, complaining of gross irregularities and rigging by Hon. Igbakpa and his party, the PDP, in connivance with the umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He urged the Tribunal to cancel the election or in the alternative, declare him the winner having scored the highest number of valid votes cast.

Hon. Igbakpa, the PDP and INEC had denied allegations of irregularities but the Tribunal, presided over by justice A.M. Abubakar, agreed with the issues raised by Hon. Agoda and declared the petitioner the winner of the election.

The Tribunal further ordered INEC to issue Certificate of Return to him.

Hon. Agoda, a former member of the House of Reps, told journalists that he was grateful to the judiciary for having the courage to do the right thing and commended the electorates in Ethiope Federal Constituency for their supports.

Meanwhile, the Election Petition Tribunal Panel III, presided over by Justice E.I Ngene, has dismissed the petition brought by Mr. Joel Thomas Onovwakpor against Hon. Leo Ogor (PDP).

Joel Thomas Onovwakpor of the APC, who contested against Leo Ogor of the PDP at the February 23rd 2019 National Assembly Elections for the Isoko Federal Constituency seat, claimed that Hon. Leo Ogor, his party (PDP) and INEC connived to perpetrate massive electoral irregularities and that the Tribunal should cancel the election or declare him the winner for scoring the highest number of valid vote cast.

But Ogor claimed that Onuvwakpor relied mainly on voters registers which were not pleaded and urged the Tribunal to dismiss the petition.

The Tribunal agreed with the position of Ogor and dismissed the petition, saying that the petitioner had not been able to prove his case.

In another development, a former speaker of Delta House of Assembly, Hon. Monday Igbuya, APC candidate in the February 23rd 2019 National Assembly Election suffered the same fate, as his petition against the current member representing Okpe,/Uvwie and Sapele federal constituency, Hon. Efe Afe (PDP) was dismissed.

The election petition tribunal, presided over by Justice E.I. Ngene, was convinced that Hon. Monday Igbuya had not been able to prove his case, and that the petition was incompetent and therefore, dismissed it.