Members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State are jubilant following the dismissal of Emeka Nnamani of the Labour Party from the House of Representatives by the Court of Appeal.
The Appeal Court, in a landmark ruling on Thursday, upheld the decision of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Umuahia, which ousted Nnamani from the green chamber, citing alleged forgery of his academic credentials in September.
The Court affirmed Mascot Ikwuechegh of the APGA as the rightful winner of the February 25 election for Aba North and Aba South Federal constituency, and rejected the claims made by Emeka Nnamani of the Labour Party for lack of merit.
In February, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Emeka Nnamani of the LP as the winner of the Aba North/Aba South election, stating that he secured 35,502 votes to defeat Alex Mascot Ikwuechegh of the APGA.
However, dissatisfied with the results, the runner-up, Alex Mascot Ikwuechegh, contested the election outcome at the tribunal, asserting that Nnamani did not legitimately win the election and was not even qualified to stand for election due to the alleged falsification of his academic records.
The tribunal ruled in Ikwuechegh’s favor on September 11, 2023. Subsequently, Emeka Nnamani pursued the matter at the Appeal Court, where his appeal was unsuccessful.
The APGA members in Abia have been jubilating over the triumph of their candidate, fondly referred to as “Onye Ocha na Aba” due to his mixed heritage.
Following his victory, APGA now boasts two members in the National Assembly, namely Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Alex Mascot Ikwuechegh.
In a congratulatory message to Ikwuechegh, Professor Greg Ibe, the former APGA governorship candidate in Abia State during the 2023 elections, commended the APGA candidate for demonstrating resilience and determination in reclaiming his mandate through the legal process.
