The Appeal Court in Owerri on Thursday upheld the controversial senatorial election victory of Rochas Okorocha, representing Imo West senatorial district at the National Assembly.
The chairman of the panel, R.A Ada, who read the judgment, affirmed the judgment of the lower court (Tribunal) which upheld the election of the immediate past governor of Imo State as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The court held that the appeals filed by Senator Osita Izunaso of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Jones Onyereri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lacked merit.
According to the panel, the petitioners could not prove their allegations of violence, over-voting, mutilation of electoral results and hijacking of electoral officers.
It also said that the petitioners could not prove the allegation of duress as the returning officer alleged.
Okorocha had on February 23 defeated Onyereri and Izunaso but the returning officer had said that he declared Okorocha winner under duress.
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