The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abia state has nullified the election of Orji Uzor Kalu as the Senator representing Abia North.
The tribunal on Monday also ordered for a rerun election for the Abia North Senatorial District.
Kalu, until today, was a Senator under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was inaugurated alongside other federal lawmakers for the 9th National Assembly.
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Senator Mao Arukwe Ohuabunwa, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who represented Abia North in the 8th Assembly had challenged the victory of Mr Kalu at the tribunal.
Ohuabunwa demanded the cancellation of the parliamentary election held in his constituency, calling for a rerun of the polls.
He also petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to declare the polls inconclusive because none of the candidates scored the required score to emerge the winner.
He argued that Rule 33(e) of INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of elections, stipulates that where the number of cancelled votes outnumbers the difference in a vote of a ‘leading candidate’, such election shall be deemed to be inconclusive.
