Abia Re-run: APGA wins Arochukwu state constituency election

The candidate of the of All Progressive Grand Alliance Mr Mike Ukaoha has been declared the winner of Arochukwu state constituency election.

The The Appeal court sitting in Owerri had on Monday, November 11, 2019, upheld the decision of the Governorship and state Assembly tribunal which earlier ordered for a re-run in some polling units in Ututu ward, Aro ward 1 and some units in Abam and Ututu all in the Constituency.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic party in the election Mr Eric Aso Kalu, had filed a suit at the Tribunal, seeking to nullify the election which returned Mr Mike Ukoha, the flag bearer of the All Progressives Grand Alliance.

He claimed that the election was marred by irregularities and over voting.

The Appellate Court in her Judgement stated that the calculation done by the tribunal in using D1 and D3 in the process, was properly done, adding that in section 138 of electoral act 2010 it enacts that they should be no ground to question an election on the grounds of sharp practices.

The Appeal court panel had maintained that the election in Aro ward 1 and Ututu affected the overall result, adding that
the Independent National Electoral Commission has no discretion to return the election since the margin of lead in some areas was less than the total number of votes cancelled.

The Appellate court hinted that having been in the process together, the two major candidates should go into the race again so as to determine the rightful winner of the said election.

The Appellate therefore ordered INEC to conduct a re-run election in the affected polling units.

But after collating the results of the rerun election the returning officer Prof. Austin Uwakwe, announced that the the APGA candidate of 6550 polled votes to defeat PDP candidate polled 5129 votes.

The returning officer declared the Ukaoha as winner of the election having polled the total number of lawful votes cast.

Results from two polling units were canceled following the reported incident of violence over voting.

–CityTimes