The Court of Appeal sacks house of assembly members

Olisaemeka  of the DPP, representing Ndokwa/Ukwani federal constituency in the House of Representatives became the latest member of the lower chamber to lose his seat following
the judgment of the Court of Appeal seating in Benin which declared Ossai Nicholas Ossai of the PDP as the winner of the election, having scored majority of lawful votes cast during the election.
It held that there was no merit in the appeal filed by Imegwu, who was earlier declared winner of the election by the Delta State election petition tribunal, saying that the tribunal should have declared Mr Ossai winner of the election.
The appellate court headed by Justice Raphael Agbo also yesterday, declared Talib Okpako Tebite of the PDP winner of the Ughelli South constituency of the Delta State House of Assembly.
The court held that the DPP had no candidate who contested the election for Ughelli South constituency, and that a person who did not participate in all stages of election should not have been declared winner. The lower tribunal had earlier declared Eme Umukoro of the DPP as winner of the election.
“This appeal succeeds. The first appellant is declared winner of Ughelli South. INEC should issue certificate of return to the first appellant,” the court ordered.
In another ruling, the appellate court set aside the judgment of the lower tribunal which declared Kennedy Orubebe of the DPP as the winner of the Burutu 11 State Constituency of Delta state following an appeal by Kennedy Dauberi of the PDP. It declared the appeal as successful.