Idoma man, Thaddeus Atta defeats Banky W to retain reps seat in Lagos

The Appeal Court has pronounced Thaddeus Atta, the candidate of the Labour Party, as the rightful winner of the House of Representatives seat representing Eti Osa Federal Constituency in Lagos State.

This ruling comes after a prolonged legal battle that ensued following the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal’s initial declaration in September, which stated that the election for this constituency was inconclusive. The tribunal had issued a directive for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize a supplementary election within 90 days, specifically in 33 polling units where elections had not been conducted.

However, in a Tuesday verdict, the Appeal Court overturned the tribunal’s decision and affirmed that the election results were conclusive, settling the matter in favor of Thaddeus Atta.

This hotly contested election also involved the well-known Nigerian singer and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bankole Wellington, popularly known as Banky W, who was initially declared as the runner-up in the February 2023 election. The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro, was another prominent contender in this closely watched political showdown.

With the Appeal Court’s judgment, Thaddeus Atta is now declared as the duly elected House of Representatives member representing Eti Osa Federal Constituency.