The Appeal Court Tribunal sitting in Enugu, yesterday, allowed the appeal filled by the Senatorial candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance(APGA) in the last general election in Anambra Central District, Professor Dora Akunyili? against the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator Chris Ngige.
It also ordered the election petitions tribunal sitting in Awka to retry the application which was earlier filed by Akunyili against the election of Senator Ngige.
Delivering the Judgment on the appeal, Justice Sam Osegi, ruled that the appeal was meritorious.
He, therefore, set aside the judgment of the lower tribunal in Awka and insisted that it had right to reverse itself on an issue it had already resolved.
In his reaction, counsel to Ngige, Bona Orakwe expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment but said they were ready to abide by the verdict.
Counsel to Akunyili, Thophona Oguji in his own reaction, applauded the judgment and expressed optimism that it would afford his client the opportunity of getting justice which was denied her earlier.
It could be recalled that the lower tribunal sitting in Awka had earlier struck out Akunyili’s application on the ground that she could not provide Form TF008 which would have aided to vital information during pre- trial of the matter.
Dissatisfied with the verdict, Akunyili filed an appeal at the Appeal Court Tribunal sitting in Enugu to challenge the decision of the lower tribunal.
Lawyer to Ngige, Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) had prayed the court during the trial? to ignore the appeal as it totally lacked merit.