Court of Appeal sacks Ikpeazu, orders swearing-in of Otti as Abia governor; Voids ‘Mama Taraba’s tribunal victory over Gov. Ishaku

A Court of Appeal in Umuahia, Abia Sstate, has nullified the earlier ruling of the state Election Petitions Tribunal and ordered the immediate swearing-in of the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr Alex Otti, as governor of the state.
The Abia State Elections Petitions trfibunal in Umuahia, had upheld the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and governor of the state, Mr. Ikezie Ikpeazu and dismissed the petition of Otti for lacking in merit.
However, ruling, Thursday, the Court of Appeal ordered Ikpeazu to vacate the Government House, as well as unanimously declaring Otti winner and directed that the APGA candidate be sworn-in as governor of the state.
Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and also had his victory upheld by the Election Tribunal.
Meanwhile, in a separate ruling in Abuja, a Court of Appeal, also Thursday, upheld the election victory of incumbent governor, Darius Ishaku and nullified the Taraba Elections Petitions Tribunal’s ruling which had disqualified the PDP governor on the grounds that there was no credible party primary prior to the governorship elections.
The Court of Appeal therefore, voided the verdict of tribunal which had nullified the victory of Governor Ishaku in the April 11 governorship election in the state, ruling that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Aisha Alhassan (Mama Taraba), ‘had no locus standi to question the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) conduct of its governorship primaries.’
A five- man panel led by Justice Abdul Aboki ruled that the PDP fielded Ishaku and he was accepted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Although the court admitted the testimony of the INEC officer, who testified that the PDP primaries violated sections 85 and 87 of the electoral law, it held that the APC had no locus standi on the matter.