The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos State on Saturday upheld the election of Cyriacus Sunday Umeha, representing Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
The court set aside the judgement of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu, which had earlier nullified the victory of Umeha.
The three-man justices of the appellate court voided the decision of the trial tribunal on the ground that the lower court erred in law when it came to the conclusion that Umeha didn’t resign his membership in PDP, his former political party.
The court stated that issues of nomination and sponsorship of candidates were entirely pre-election matters.
Media Talk Africa recalls that a Justice A.M. Abubakar-led tribunal had declared Festus Uzor of PDP as the winner of the February 25 poll.
Not satisfied with the decision of the tribunal, the Labour Party and its candidate proceeded to the Court of Appeal, praying the court to void the judgement of the lower court.
However, the appeal court maintained that, based on the evidence tendered, Umeha duly resigned from PDP before seeking election on the platform of the Labour Party.
The court said Festus Uzor’s petition at the trial level lacked merit and ought to have been dismissed.
