Anambra Election Tribunal upholds obi's election.

The Anambra Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Awka has upheld the election of Gov. Peter Obi, as the winner of the Feb. 6, election in the state.

The tribunal in a seven-hour unanimous judgment read by Justice Peter Ige, dismissed the petition filed by the Deputy Governorship candidate of the Hope Democratic Party, Mike Okoye.

Okoye filed a petition challenging Obi’s election on the grounds that Obi of APGA did not score one-quarter of the total votes cast in two third of 21 local governments of the state.

The tribunal in its judgment interpreted the constitutional provision of all votes cast to mean all valid votes cast, and held that Obi scored the highest number of valid votes cast in the election.

Okoye had argued that Obi was not the authentic candidate having been expelled from the party before the election, but the tribunal ruled that Obi was validly nominated by APGA to contest the election.

In his reaction to the judgment, Okoye said he would appeal against the judgment, adding that the tribunal did not state the number of valid votes cast in determining the winner of the election.

The counsel to INEC, Osita Nnadi, praised the judgment as sound and detailed, while counsel to APGA, Okoli Akirika, described the judgment as a sound one.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Pius Damulak said that the judgment was significant.