By Tony Edike

ENUGU – THE Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu, Thursday, nullified the election of Senator Andy Uba representing Anambra South senatorial zone and ordered that fresh election be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within 90 days.

In a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-man panel of justices led by Justice Helen Moronkeji Ogunwumiju JCA, the court also ordered INEC to immediately withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to the senator.

The court however could not give reasons for the judgment as it promised to do so at a later date.

The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the April National Assembly election for the senatorial zone, Hon. Chuma Nzeribe had alleged irregularities in the said election.

He however asked the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal to declare him (Nzeribe) as the winner of the said election having scored majority of the lawful votes cast.

However, the lower tribunal after hearing the case dismissed his petition as lacking in merit prompting him to appeal the verdict which ruling was delivered Thursday.

The latest judicial reversal marks the second time that Dr. Uba has been removed from an elective post by the courts. In 2007, the Supreme Court kicked him out of the governor’s office in Anambra state after he had spent a mere 17 days in office.

In a separate judgment of the appellate court, the member representing Aniocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia federal constitutuency, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife,  was removed from her seat while a fresh election was  ordered to be conducted in Aniocha local government area of the state.

The court did not give details of its findings as it also promised to do later.