The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Enugu State has invalidated the election victory of Hon. Okey Mbah from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18th House of Assembly election for the Nkanu East constituency.

Despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) previously declaring Mbah as the election winner, the tribunal ruled on Friday that the electoral process did not comply with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.

The three-member panel, presided over by Honourable Justice Adie Attoe Onyebueke, delivered their verdict on a petition filed by the Labour Party candidate, Surv. Okwudiri Nnaji, and declared the election inconclusive.

Furthermore, the tribunal ordered a rerun to take place in specific polling units within Ugbawka and Owo wards. It cited discrepancies where the number of votes exceeded the count of registered and accredited voters in those areas, thus questioning INEC’s initial declaration.

The tribunal directed INEC to organize the rerun election within 90 days in the affected polling units.