Ngozi Okolie, the member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Constituency in Delta State on the platform of the Labour Party, has been sacked by the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba.
The nullification of his victory is due to circumstances surrounding his nomination as the party’s candidate as the court found that he was not a duly registered member of the party when the primary took place.
In its judgment delivered today, July 24, the Tribunal held that Okolie was not duly sponsored by the Labour Party as he was not a member of the party as of May 28, 2022, when the primary was purportedly held.
The Tribunal declared the runner-up, Ndidi Elumelu of the PDP as the winner of the contest, following Okolie’s disqualification.
The court judgment has caused anxiety in Obi’s camp considering that Okolie joined Labour Party in similar circumstances to the former Anambra governor.
Obi left the PDP for the Labour Party on the eve of the election after parties were required by law to send a final list of their members to the electoral body, INEC. Indeed, the subject of Obi’s legal standing as a duly nominated presidential candidate is one of the issues to be determined by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
This ruling suggests that Peter Obi may equally be disqualified based on his improper entry into the Labour Party, especially as his nomination was done after the closing of the membership registration and nomination window.