Senate swears in Akobundu, Abia-Central Senator

Sen. Austin Akobundu (PDP- Abia-Central) on Wednesday at plenary took his oath of office and allegiance.

The administration of Akobubdu's oath of allegiance followed his declaration as the winner of the Abia-Central senatorial election by the Appeal Court.

The Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Chinedu Akubueze, administered the oath and allegiance to Akobundu.

Akobundu, who now represents Abia-Central, challenged and 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 for lack of merit, but the Court of Appeal on November 4 set aside the ruling of the lower court, maintaining that Akobundu’s petition has merit by awarding him the judgement.

The three -member court in its ruling upheld the petition of the PDP’s candidate and declared him the authentic winner of the election and ordered INEC to immediately issue him with the Certificate of Return.