Supreme Court affirms Otti’s victory as governor of Abia

By Hannah Nathan, Warri

Alex Otti’s election as the legitimate governor of Abia was affirmed by the Supreme Court on Friday.

In rendering her decision, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji rejected the appeal against Otti’s victory.

She determined that the PDP’s appeal was without merit.

According to a reliable Source, Chief Okey Ahiwe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Chief Ikechi Emenike of the All Progressives Congress (APC) filed appeals against Otti, who was elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).

Remember that on March 18, 2023, a gubernatorial poll was conducted. The Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, announced that Otti had received 175,466 votes, defeating Ahiwe of the PDP, who had received 88,529 votes.

Both Ahiwe and Emenike, the APC’s third-place finishers, filed separate challenges against the election results because they were unhappy with it.

However, in a ruling released on October 6, 2023, the Abia State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal dismissed the petitions and confirmed Otti’s election victory.

The Court of Appeal in Lagos, which also rejected petitions filed against Otti by the PDP and APC candidates, upheld the tribunal’s decision.