Elisha Abbo, the ousted senator representing Adamawa North, has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of masterminding the appeal court verdict that nullified his election.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday declared the election of Abbo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) invalid and ordered a rerun within 90 days.
Abbo had been declared the winner of the February 25, 2023 senatorial election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but his opponent, Amos Yohanna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenged the result in court.
The tribunal had upheld Abbo’s victory, but Yohanna appealed to the higher court, arguing that there were irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
The Court of Appeal agreed with Yohanna’s counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN), that some of the votes were unlawful and should be deducted from both parties. After doing so, the court found that Yohanna and PDP had the majority of valid votes and declared them as the rightful winners.
The three-man panel led by Justice Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme also directed INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to Yohanna as the duly elected senator for Adamawa North.
Abbo, who spoke to journalists on Monday in Abuja, alleged that Akpabio was behind his removal because he opposed his ambition to become the Senate President in 2023.
He claimed that he had a reliable source that revealed that four other APC senators who also worked against Akpabio were being targeted for removal through court rulings.
He mentioned Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC Abia North) as one of them and said he was next in line to lose his seat.
“I have it on good authority that myself and four other senators within the fold of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will be removed from the Senate through rulings from the courts, all because of working against the emergence of Akpabio as President of the 10th Senate.
“I won’t mention the names of all the four other ones targeted but the next in line is Senator Orji Uzor Kalu,” he said.
He expressed shock at how the court overturned his victory with over 11,000 votes margin and described it as strange and unfair.
“The court judgement is strange and the judiciary needs to please remain the last hope of the common man,” Abbo said.
He, however, appealed to his supporters to remain calm and assured them that he would recontest in 2027.
He also refused to comment on whether he would appeal the judgement or not.
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