Senator Orji Uzor Kalu secured another legal victory, this time against the Peoples Democratic Party’s Mao Ohuabunwa at the appellate court. The Court of Appeal in Lagos upheld Senator Kalu’s February 25th election win, citing the failure of the appellants to prove disenfranchisement. Justice Abiri dismissed the appeal, emphasizing the lack of evidence regarding the total number of persons who collected voter cards.
The court affirmed that elections took place in all polling units, supporting their decision with the submission of form EC40G by the respondents. Senator Kalu’s victory was reasserted, and a cost was awarded against Mao Ohuabunwa. This legal triumph follows Senator Kalu’s recent success against Labour Party’s Nnamdi Iro.
The judges emphasized that the election complied with the Electoral Act, dismissing arguments that elections did not occur in over 120 polling units. The court also rejected Mao Ohuabunwa’s attempt to disqualify Senator Kalu based on an alleged admission of fraud conviction, stating that there was no valid conviction under the Nigerian constitution.
Earlier, Senator Kalu had defeated Nnamdi Iro, who sought to nullify the victory by raising issues related to Kalu’s admission of a previous conviction. The court ruled that there was no valid conviction, as it had been nullified.
In addition to upholding Senator Kalu’s eligibility, the court validated his candidacy, citing the Supreme Court’s quashing of his trial and conviction. This legal outcome adds to Senator Kalu’s political achievements, securing his position as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation. His victory in the February 25th Senatorial polls, where he scored 30,805 votes, stands affirmed, solidifying his status as a two-time lawmaker.
