The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal in Imo State has sacked a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a judgment a moment ago, a three-member of the tribunal, led by Justice Anthony Akpovi, was unanimous in holding that Ugochinyere was not qualified to have contested the election having emerged from an invalid primary, held outside the constituency.
The tribunal, which is sitting in Nasarawa state, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to, within 90 days, conduct a supplementary election in 55 polling units, where the petitioner successfully proved that the election was never held.
It also barred Ugochinyere (a former spokeswoman of the Coalition of United Political Party – CUPP) and his party, the PDP from participating in the ordered supplementary election, having violated the Electoral Act by conducting an invalid primary election.
The judgment was on the petition marked: EPT/IM/HR/10/2023 filed by Abazu Chika Benson and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
