The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba has nullified the election of Labour Party candidate, Mr. Ngozi Okolie, as a member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Constituency of Delta State in the House of Representatives.
Elumelu had in petition EPT/DL/HR/06/2023 approached the tribunal, seeking to disqualify Okolie on the grounds that he was not properly sponsored by the Labour Party, and that he did not resign his position as a public office holder.
The tribunal agreed with the petitioners that the second respondent (Okolie) was not duly sponsored by the third respondent (Labour Party) as he was not a member of the party as at May 28, 2022 when the primary held.
Justice Mussa also resolved that the second respondent did not resign from public office to contest the elections.
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Elumelu’s counsel, Andrew Osemenem, described the judgement as “a correct exposition of jurisprudence and the law.
“ We also proved and the tribunal agreed with us that there were no primaries, there was no sponsorship, the Labour Party did not conduct any primaries for the National Assembly election.
“And Sections 65 and 66 of the constitution require that for a person to be qualified to contest election into the House of Representatives, he must belong to a political party and must be sponsored by that political party.
“ In this instance, Okolie, the tribunal found that he was not duly sponsored by the Labour Party because there were no primaries.
“The second ground is as we urged the tribunal, the tribunal also found in our favour, was that Okolie was in public office, he did not resign, he continued to collect salaries and emoluments in breach of the law. The tribunal agreed with us.
