The Court of Appeal in Lagos has rendered a significant judgment, affirming the victory of Obi Aguocha from the Labour Party (LP) as the duly elected representative for the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency in Abia State.
In a ruling delivered on Friday, the Appeal Court dismissed the appeals filed by Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who had previously served as the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly. Orji had sought to challenge the decision of the National Assembly election petition tribunal, which upheld Aguocha’s victory.
The Appellate Court, after careful consideration, unanimously deemed the appeal by the PDP candidate to lack merit, thereby upholding Aguocha’s well-deserved victory.
In addition, the Appeal Court overturned the previous judgment of the election petition tribunal, which had unseated Amobi Ogah from the Labour Party. The tribunal had declared Nkeiruka Onyejiocha, the current Minister of State for Labour and Employment, as the winner of the election. However, the Appeal Court disagreed with the tribunal’s ruling and upheld Ogah’s victory while dismissing Onyejiocha’s case.
The news of these rulings has not only brought immense joy but also transformed the camps of both Aguocha and Ogah into scenes of jubilation.
In Aguocha’s hometown of Ohuhu, friends and relatives wasted no time in celebrating his remarkable victory. They proclaimed it as a triumph for the whole Ohuhu clan, which has endured what they referred to as “rotational marginalization” for the past 24 years.
Meanwhile, in Uturu, Isuikwuato LGA, the birthplace of Amobi Ogah, his kinsmen and supporters reveled in the news, exclaiming that their son had overcome his opponent and forever etched their community’s name onto the global political map through what they termed a “total victory.”
It is worth noting that Amobi Ogah happens to be the younger brother of Uche Ogah, the former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development.
