The Supreme Court is set to hear the suits brought by the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 18 governorship election in Abia State, Okey Ahiwe and Ikechi Emenike, respectively.
Both candidates are seeking the removal of Governor Alex Otti from office.
Victor Nwokocha, the media adviser to Ahiwe, confirmed to Journalists that the case against Otti would be heard on Wednesday, January 10, 2024. However, he stated that it remains uncertain whether a final judgement would be delivered on that day or at a later date.
Ahiwe and the PDP are requesting the Supreme Court to overturn the appellate court’s decision, which upheld Otti’s election, and to declare Ahiwe as the rightful Governor of Abia State. Similarly, Emenike of the APC is urging the Court to nullify the appellate court’s ruling that affirmed Otti’s victory.
During his case at the appellate court, Emenike challenged Otti’s membership of the Labour Party before his election as governor.
However, the court dismissed his case on the grounds that it pertained to a pre-election matter falling within the jurisdiction of the political party.
Similarly, the PDP and Ahiwe’s suits were dismissed at the appellate court for their failure to effectively link their documentary evidence regarding the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to the specific aspects of their case.
The upcoming Supreme Court hearing is expected to be a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal battle surrounding the governorship election in Abia State, with both the PDP and APC seeking a reversal of the appellate court’s decisions in favor of Governor Otti.
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