In the verdict delivered by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, who headed the panel, it was asserted that the appellants failed to substantiate their claims of significant non-compliance in their appeal.
Regarding the contentious issue of Alex Otti’s membership, the appellant argued that he was not validly nominated and sponsored by the Labour Party (LP) during the election period. However, the appellate court maintained that matters pertaining to membership are internal affairs and, therefore, fall outside its jurisdiction.
The highest court criticized the appellants for bringing what was deemed a frivolous and vexatious appeal before them. Justice Abba-Aji, in the lead judgment, conveyed the court’s dissatisfaction with the merit of the appeal.
It is noteworthy that Alex Otti emerged victorious in the election with a commendable 175,466 votes, surpassing his closest rival, Okey Ahiwe of the PDP, who garnered 88,529 votes. The outcome of the election, which transpired early last year, underscores the electorate’s preference for Otti’s candidacy.
In essence, the apex court’s ruling emphasized the importance of proving substantial non-compliance and underscored the limitations of the court in interfering with internal party matters, categorizing the appeal as lacking in merit and bearing the characteristics of being frivolous and vexatious.
