ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Enugu State, Chijioke Edeoga, has finally submitted his petition at the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
This is to challenge the declaration of Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of 18 March, 2023 governorship election in the State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared Mbah winner of the election.
According to the electoral body, Mbah polled 160, 895 votes against Edoga who scored 157, 552 votes.
Following a review of the controversial results from Nkanu East Local Government Area of the State, the announcement of the result came 48 hours after the election by the INEC.
Edoga however, alleged that the result was compromised, hence did not reflect the aspiration of voters in the State.
In his petition submitted to the tribunal, Edeoga and the Labour Party were listed as the plaintiffs and the INEC, Mbah and the PDP as respondents.
He based his petition on the ground, among others, that Mbah at the time of the election was not qualified to contest the election.
The petition also contends that Mbah “having presented a forged National Youth Service Corps Certificate with Certificate Number A808297 was not qualified to contest the disputed election to the office of Governor of Enugu State”.
Also, Edoga based his petition on grounds that the “declaration of Mbah as the winner was invalid by reason of Non-Compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022, and that he was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the election.”