PDP loses 3 assembly seats in Edo

Kunle Awosiyan, Lagos - 15.04.2008

Three more Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of the Edo State House of Assembly, on Monday, lost their seats as the state election petition tribunal nullified their elections and ordered fresh elections in their constituencies within the next 90 days.

The lawmakers who lost their seats were Mr. Chris Umagbai of Etsako Central constituency, Mr. Anslem Agbabi, representing Akoko Edo 1 constituency, and Mr. Samuel Saiki, representing Akoko-Edo 11 constituency.

Messrs. Umogbai, Agbabi and Saiki’s elections were challenged by Messrs. Johnson Egwakhide, Kabiru Ojoto and Oloruntoba Bamidele, all of the Action Congress (AC).

In the judgment in respect of Etsako Central delivered by the Justice Peter Umeadi-led tribunal, the tribunal said the election result for Etsako Central had already been cancelled as a result of violence and irregularities by the then Edo state Resident Electoral Commissioner and the same announcement was published in the state-owned newspaper, The Nigerian Observer.