Tribunal Dismisses Nnamani’s Petition Against Chukwu’s Election, Fines Him N500,000

The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu, on Wednesday, upheld the election of Senator Kelvin Chukwu of the Labour Party in a suit filed by the former Governor of the state, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani.

TrackNews Media reports that Chukwu represents Enugu East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, which Nnamani had represented in the Senate for two tenures.

Recall that Senator Chukwu emerged as the senatorial candidate of LP after the killing of his elder brother, late Barrister Oyibo Chukwu, who was then the candidate of the party.

Nnamani, who had contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had alleged irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Law against Chukwu.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Chukwu the winner with over 69,000 votes as against Nnamani’s 49,000 votes.

Delivering its ruling on Wednesday, the tribunal upheld Senator Chukwu’s victory and also awarded a cost of N500,000 against Nnamani and the PDP in favour of the three respondents, Kelvin Chukwu, Labour Party and INEC.

The three-man panel led by Justice Nusirat I. Umar unanimously dismissed the petition for being vague, lacking in merit, incompetent, generic and academic exercise.