The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Bayelsa State has invalidated the election that produced the People’s Democratic Party’s, Fred Agbedi as the member representing Sagbama-Ekeremor Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, News About Nigeria reports.
The panel, led by Justice Sylvester Odili, also set aside the certificate of return issued to the PDP candidate in its judgment on Thursday, in Yenagoa on the petition marked EPT/BY/HR/01/2023 which was filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Michael Olomu.
Recall that, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had declared Agbedi, the candidate of the PDP winner of the election, having polled a total of 21, 430 votes, while Olomu had a total of 8,899 votes in the February 25 House of Representatives polls.
In their verdict, the tribunal listed 17 polling units in Wards 10, 11 and 12 of Ekeremor LGA; six polling units of Ward 11, and all the polling units in Ward 5 of Sagbama LGA as the affected areas that the commission should conduct a re-run within 90 days.
According to the panel, due to the violence and other election irregularities that occurred in these areas, a total number of 26, 471 registered voters in the affected polling units and wards in both LGAs were stopped from exercising their franchise.
The PDP candidate who spoke with Newsmen after the judgement revealed that he is ready for the supplementary polls and would not be appealing the judgement of the tribunal.
On his part, the APC candidate stated that the judgement of the tribunal is clear indication that he won the February 25 election, but he would still consult his party on the issue of re-run given by the court.
“This is a clear indication that in the 25th of February election, I clearly won, as stated by the tribunal. 26,000 plus votes were not given to me. And the court has said that we should go for a re-run. I will consult the party and my lawyers and a decision will be taken immediately,” He said.
