National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals are causing upsets across states as the election victories of some members of the 10th House of Representatives have been upturned.
There are some others who are smiling in the aftermath of tribunals’ judgements.
Section 285 sub section 6 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) states:
An election tribunal shall deliver its judgment in writing within 180 days from the date of the filing of the petition.
By this provision, election petition tribunals across the states are rounding up their verdicts on the petitions before them.
In the last two weeks, no less than 20 members of the 10th House have been unseated by the judgments of the various tribunals handling Petitions of the National Assembly election held in February.
In line with constitutional provisions, those affected have headed to the appeal court to challenge their loss.
The legislators include Fred Agbedi of Bayelsa State, Amobi Ogah from Abia, Ikenga Ugochinyere from Imo, Francis Waive of Delta State and Dachung Bagos from Plateau State.
Others are Umar Yusuf Datti, NNPP, Kano, Ngozi Okolie. PDP, Delta, Umar Yerima, NNPP, Kano, Chijoke Okereke, and Paul Nnamchi, both of LP, Enugu.
Also affected are Seye Sowunmi (LP, Lagos), Aminu Chindo (PDP, Katsina), Peter Gyendeng(PDP, Plateau), Joshua Gana(PDP, Niger) and
Emeka Nnamani, of Abia State.
Many of the sacked lawmakers have through press statements appealed to their supporters to remain calm.
One of them is Dachung Bagos, who remains confident his landslide victory at the election was indeed a true reflection of the wishes of those he represents.
Others are unequivocal about their next step.
For Ikenga Ugochinyere, this solidarity visit by some of his associates is a soothing balm as he heads for appeal.
