Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa and Paul Osuyi, Asaba

Elections Petitions Tribunal (EPT), sitting in Abuja, has dismissed two petitions filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the election of two candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Degi Eremieyo Biobarakuba winner of the Bayelsa East senatorial district after he polled 43,303 to defeat the PDP candidate, Eluan Blessing Ipigasi Izagara, who polled 32,363 votes.

It also declared Preye Influence Oseke winner in Southern Ijaw federal constituency with 56,804 votes against Friday Konbowei Benson who polled 34,104 votes.

Izagara in the petition to the EPT tagged, EPT/BY/REP/11/2019 asked the tribunal to sack Biobarakuba and declared him winner based on irregularities that occurred during the election, non-compliance with the Electoral Act and non-voting in seven wards in Nembe Bassanbiri.

Justices Kenneth Wosu, Haruna Offo and Habibu Mukailu, in a unanimous decision, however, upheld the election of Biobarakuba and threw out the petition filed by Izagara for want of documentary evidence.

In the petition filed by the former speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Benson of the PDP tagged, EPT/BY/REP/12/2019 against INEC, APC and Oseke, the tribunal also threw out the petition for want of evidence.

The tribunal upheld the election of Fred Azibapu Obua and dismissed the petition tagged, EPT/BY/REP/15/2019 filed by Jude Amiditor Rex-Ogbuku of the African Democratic Congress against Fred Azibapu Obua, the PDP and INEC and 63 other INEC officials.

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All appeals are expected to be filed within 21 days of the day judgement was delivered.

Meanwhile, following last Saturday’s tribunal judgement that nullified the February 23, Delta South senatorial district election, PDP candidate, James Manager, and his APC contender and immediate past governor of the state, Emmanuel Uduaghan, have expressed their desire to take the legal battle to Court of Appeal.

National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Asaba, the state capital, nullified the election of Manager, a fifth term senator, in a petition filed by Uduaghan.

The tribunal ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return earlier issued to Manager, and conduct a re-run within 90 days.

But, both parties expressed dissatisfaction with the judgement with Manager describing it as a miscarriage of justice while Uduaghan said he should have been declared winner by the tribunal.

Uduaghan, in a statement by his media assistant, Monoyo Edon, maintained that he won the election, adding that he will go to Appeal Court to claim his mandate.

Manager, on his part, resorted to his Facebook page, saying he will defeat Uduaghan if the election is conducted 50 times.