Senator Austin Akobundu, representing the Abia-Central Senatorial District under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), took his oath of office and allegiance at the Senate plenary on Wednesday.
This swearing-in ceremony followed the Appeal Court’s declaration of Akobundu as the winner of the Abia-Central senatorial election. The Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Chinedu Akubueze, administered the oath and allegiance to Akobundu.
Initially, Akobundu had filed a petition challenging the declaration of Sen. Darlington Nwokocha of the Labour Party (LP) as the winner of the Abia-Central Senatorial poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The Election Petitions Tribunal in Umuahia dismissed his petition on September 11, citing a lack of merit.
However, on November 4, the Court of Appeal overturned the ruling of the lower court and declared Akobundu’s petition to have merit. The three-member court upheld the PDP candidate’s petition, declaring him the authentic winner of the election and ordering INEC to immediately issue him a Certificate of Return.
