Appeal Court Gives Fresh Order On Sack Of Governor Otti By High Court

The Court of Appeal sitting in Kano State has overruled the judgement of a Kano State Federal High Court which sacked Alex Otti as the Governor of Abia State.

The appellate court in a ruling on Friday, dismissed the May 18, judgement given by Justice M.N. Yunusa of the Kano state Federal High Court, regarding Otti’s nomination by the Labour Party (LP).

The Appeal Court ruled that the high court came to a hasty conclusion.

It added that the federal high court gave its verdict without joining the necessary parties who were the real targets of the claim in the case with suit number FHC/KN/CS/107/2023, filed by one Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim.

A cost of one million naira (₦1,000,000) was also awarded against the plaintiff.

Otti Wins At Tribunal

Meanwhile, Alex Otti’s election victory was upheld about two weeks ago by the Abia State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

Naija News reports that the court sitting in Umuahia, the state capital, dismissed three of the prayers brought forth by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okey Ahaiwe, against Otti.

The tribunal ruled that Ahaiwe’s case against Otti of the Labour Party (LP) lacked merit.

Ahaiwe had contested the declaration of Otti as the duly elected governor by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Through his lawyer, Paul Ananaba, SAN, Ahaiwe had requested that the court remove Otti and declare him the winner, citing non-conformity with Section 77 of the Electoral Act, among other grievances. However, the tribunal dismissed all of Ahaiwe’s requests for lacking merit.