Politics
Hope for Banky W?: Tribunal sacks LP’s Attah, orders supplementary election in Eti-Osa federal constituency
The National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Lagos has nullified the return of Achief Thaddeus Atta of the Labour Party as the duly elected representative for Eti Osa Federal Constituency.
In the lead judgment delivered late Monday night, the tribunal declared the elections inconclusive and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary election within 90 days in 33 polling units where elections did not hold.
The ruling has, however, given hope to two other contestants, Ibrahim Obanikoro of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Bankole “Banky W” Wellington of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Bankole Wellington (Banky W) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was declared second in the polls and the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro (IBO) had both filed petitions to challenge the elections of February 25.
In that election, INEC had declared Atta who scored 24,075 votes as the winner, while Banky W and IBO were said to have scored 18,668 and 16,901 votes, respectively.
Reacting to the Tribunal’s judgement, Thaddeus Atta of the LP claimed he wasn’t sacked by the judgement. In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) page, he said; “The Tribunal has simply ordered a re-run (supplementary election) in the 32 polling units where elections did not hold. We will continue working for Etiosa. I urge constituents to keep calm as we are unshaken. We will get through this together”.
Also reacting, Ibrahim Obanikoro of PDP said on his X account, “The Feb 25 election has just been rightly declared inconclusive, and Supplementary elections has been ordered by the court. INEC has been ordered to withdraw the return certificate issued and conduct elections in areas where election didn’t hold on Election Day.”
On his part, singer and actor, Banky W posted; “It is possible, still.”
