Tribunal sacks APC rep in Cross River

The national assembly election petition tribunal in Cross River has sacked Alex Egbona, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Abi/Yakurr federal constituency of the state.

At its sitting in Calabar, the state capital, on Wednesday, the tribunal upheld the petition filed by John- Gaul Lebo, who vied for the seat on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In his petition, Lebo requested the tribunal to nullify the election of Egbona over alleged irregularities in the election and his ineligibility to contest in the exercise.

Lebo alleged that Egbona was not the rightful candidate of the APC.

Vincent Agbata, justice and chairman of the three-man tribunal, agreed with the petitioner that as of February 23 Egbona was not qualified to contest in the election of which he was declared winner.

Agbata declared all the votes scored by Egbona in the said election as defiant votes, invalid and unlawful.

He declared that Lebo, who scored the highest number of valid votes in the election, be issued with a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral  Commission.

The tribunal also directed the commission to withdraw the certificate earlier issued to Egbona.

Aniah Ikwen, lead counsel to Lebo, commended the tribunal for the decision.

He said his team will meet Egbona at the court of appeal if he decides to take the case further.

“The judgment said Alex should vacate and handover to John Gaul, but should he want to pursue the option of going on appeal, we will meet him at the Court of Appeal,” he said.