Okereke is now the second Labour Party House of Representatives candidate that would be sacked by the election petition Tribunal in the last 24 hours.
The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu State on Friday sacked Chijioke Okereke of the Labour Party as the House of Representatives member for Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River Federal Constituency.
Okereke is now the second Labour Party House of Representatives candidate that would be sacked by the election petition Tribunal in the last 24 hours.
Prof. Sunday Nnamchi representing Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency in Enugu State was on Friday sacked by a three-man panel of Justices led by A. M. Abubakar.
The tribunal consequently ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue certificate of return to Prince Cornelius Nnaji of the Peoples Democratic Party as the validly elected candidate for the constituency.
However, on Saturday, a three-man panel of Justices led by Justice Nusirat I. Umar while ruling on a petition filed Mr Anayo Onwuegbu aka Omeihe-Ukwu of the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party challenging the declaration of Okereke as the duly elected in the February 25th, 2023 poll sacked him.
Onwuegbu had approached the tribunal challenging the declaration of Okereke as the winner of election on the grounds that he was a stranger to the election as he’s name isn’t on the result sheet as the candidate of the Labour Party.
The panel agreed with the Petitioners that Okereke wasn’t a candidate for the election and accordingly, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to issue certificate of return to the PDP Candidate.
Recall that the name of former minority leader of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Toby Okechukwu appeared on the list published by INEC for the election. Also, his name appeared on the result sheet and not that of Okereke.
Okereke had approached a High Court sitting in Enugu to claim the ticket of the Labour Party and a judgement was given in his favour after Hon. Okechukwu distanced himself from being a member of the Labour Party.
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