JUST IN: Supreme Court Confirms Alex Otti’s Victory in Abia Gubernatorial Election

The Supreme Court has upheld the election victory of Alex Otti as the Governor of Abia state. The five-member panel of justices, led by Uwani Abba-Aji, dismissed the appeal filed by Okey Ahiwe, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), deeming it “lacking in merit.”

Back in March 2023, Alex Otti, running under the Labour Party (LP), was declared the winner of the Abia governorship election, securing 175,466 votes and defeating Okey Ahiwe of the PDP, who garnered 88,529 votes.

In response to the outcome, Ahiwe and the PDP contested the results at the tribunal, raising concerns about Otti’s eligibility, alleging he was not a registered LP member and had forged his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.

However, the tribunal ruled against the petitioners, stating that they failed to substantiate their claims against Otti. Moreover, the tribunal emphasized that the dispute over Otti’s qualification was a pre-election matter beyond its jurisdiction.

In a subsequent development in December 2023, the Court of Appeal affirmed Otti’s victory, setting the stage for the recent decision by the Supreme Court.

With the apex court’s ruling, Alex Otti’s position as the governor of Abia state is now firmly established, bringing an end to a series of legal challenges to his election.