The Independent National Electoral Commission said it will soon commence defence in the consolidated petition against it at the National and State Assembly By-Election Petitions Tribunal in Anambra State.

INEC conducted the by-election in Anambra State  on August 16, where Emmanuel Nwachukwu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) emerged senator for Anambra South.

Secretary of the Anambra By-election Petition Tribunal, Ibrahim Mahmud, told journalists in Awka on Wednesday that five petitions were received challenging the election of Mr Nwachukwu.

Mr Mahmud said that the petitions from Donald Amamgbo, candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with suit no. EPT/AN/SEN/01/2025, and another by the ADC party, with suit no. EPT/AN/SEN/02/2025, have been consolidated with the hearing concluded.

INEC, Mr Nwachukwu and APGA are respondents in both petitions.

He said that hearing had commenced on the petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) with EPT/AN/SEN/04/2025, while the petition by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with suit no. EPT/AN/SEN/05/2025 was at the prehearing stage.

The secretary said that the petition by the Allied Peoples Movement with suit no. EPT/AN/SEN/03/2025 had been withdrawn.

“All the petitions have been responded to; the petition of Donald Amamgbo has been consolidated with the petition of ADC. Hearing commenced properly in the consolidated petition; the petitioners have closed their case, and it’s adjourned to November 20 for the defence by INEC. On the petition of APC, the prehearing has been concluded, and the matter adjourned to November 20 for the petitioner to present his witnesses. For the SDP, prehearing is ongoing and will continue on November 20,” Mr Mahmud said.

(NAN)