The Appeal Court sitting in Owerri on Thursday dismissed two applications brought before it by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The PDP had faulted the ruling of the lower tribunal in Umuahia, which held that the case should have been entertained.
Specifically, the PDP contended that the pre-trial application form submitted by the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) to the tribunal was not properly signed.
The party also argued that opposition party did not pay the pre-trial fee.
APGA candidate, Alex Otti, dragged the PDP candidate, Okezie Ikpeazu, to court on the grounds that the declaration of the latter as the validly elected governor of the Abia State by the Independent National Electoral Commission was illegal.
The PDP had argued that the tribunal should not have entertained the case, adding that APGA failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act in filing its petition.
Delivering two separate judgments, Justices H A Baka and J. Shehu Abiriu, dismissed the applications by the appellants, noting that the lower tribunal in Umuahia, Abia State, should proceed with the trial of the case.
By the ruling, the tribunal, which has heard all the parties, would on October 14, 2015 entertain addresses before setting a date for judgment.
Punch