The Court of Appeal in Enugu has upheld the removal of Hon. Simon Atigwe of the Peoples Democratic Party from his seat in the House of Representatives, as ruled earlier by the Election Petition Tribunal.
The court also affirmed Hon. Dennis Nnamdi Agbo of the Labour Party as the rightful winner of the February 3, 2024, re-run election for the Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency.
The panel, consisting of three justices, delivered a unanimous judgment, with Justice Ekanem reading the decision.
This ruling validates Agbo’s victory in the election, marking a significant legal victory for the Labour Party candidate.
One of Agbo’s legal representatives, Ifeanyi Ogenyi, shared the news on Wednesday, writing, “Congratulations to the people of Igbo Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency. The wheel of justice turns slowly, but it grinds. Truth and justice have prevailed, no matter the wait. Dennis Agbo has prevailed!”
Initially, the Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Atigwe the winner of the re-run election.
However, Agbo, who had previously secured victory in the February 25, 2023 election but was later unseated by an appellate court ruling, contested Atigwe’s re-run victory before the tribunal.
He won the case at both the tribunal and the Court of Appeal, solidifying his mandate.
This legal battle highlights the protracted nature of electoral justice, with Agbo’s triumph marking the conclusion of a contentious dispute.
