The tribunal also on Tuesday held that Kalu was duly elected to represent Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, while delivering judgement on the petition filed by the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Frank Chinasa in the February 25, 2023 election.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu on Thursday, applauded the judgment of the National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, Abia State for striking out the petition of the Action Alliance (AA) challenging his election victory.
The tribunal also on Tuesday held that Kalu was duly elected to represent Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, while delivering judgement on the petition filed by the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Frank Chinasa in the February 25, 2023 election.
The three man tribunal led by Justice Samson Paul Gang, in upholding the Kalu's election, rejected Chinasa's prayers to disqualify him for the election over an alleged inconsistency in his name.
The tribunal ruled that Kalu followed due process to validate his name, saying the petition was unnecessary.
Also delivering judgment in a petition filed by AA candidate, on Thursday, the tribunal struck out the petition.
Ifeanyi Igbokwe recently distanced himself from the suit, saying he never filed or authoritised anyone to initiate any legal action against Kalu.
The AA candidate further said he was impersonated and subsequently petitioned the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) over the matter.
Reacting to the judgments, Kalu in a statement issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, said that the Petitioner, Igbokwe shortly after the judgment, called the office of the deputy speaker to express his happiness that the matter was dismissed.
Nwabughiogu in the statement quoted the AA candidate to have said: "I made a move and that's what I will call destiny move. When it is time for God to bless you or make you to know some things you don't know, because you must crawl before you walk, you must work with a leader that has vision. Rt. Hon. Benjamin has really done well for Bende people.
"So, I am happy that I noticed what happened on time and came out and said that I am not the one that filed that suit. I didn't even take him to court. So, I am surprised that such a thing happened there. We thank God. God had to use the lawyers and the lawyers to have a very good judgement today. That's why I am very happy."
According to the statement, Igbokwe's lawyer in the case, Mr Lawrence Ugochukwu Nwokocha, noted that the court agreed with their position in the sense that his client didn't file any matter.
"The court agreed with our position in the sense that we did not authorize anybody to file any petition on behalf of Ifeanyi. He was present in court. The court in their ruling said they were satisfied with the proper identity of the person of Ifeanyi.
"In summary, the court granted our prayer to withdraw the suit and strike out and dismiss the petition entirely. So, for now, there is no case from AA or Ifeanyi Igbokwe as it were," the CPS quoted Nwokocha to have said.
Nwabughiogu said that his boss welcomed the tribunal's ruling, while commending his opponent for taking the decision to accept the verdict of the people at the polls, "moreso, the fact that the candidate recognized that the action against him was borne out of mischief."
He saluted Igbokwe for his courage and thanked the Judiciary for granting his prayers to withdraw the matter.