The Court of Appeal in Calabar, Cross River State has sacked Senator Steven Odey and invalidated the certificate of return issued to him by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Justice Chioma I. Nwosu, in her judgement on Friday also asked INEC to withdraw the certificate as she declared Mr. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as the duly elected senator.

The Court also declared that Agom-Jarigbe was the lawful candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Dec. 5, 2020 by-election for the seat.

The three-man Appeal Tribunal headed by Justice Chioma Nwosu also invalidated the certificate of return earlier issued to Sen. Steven Odey by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and directed that it be withdrawn.

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The court, however, ordered INEC to issue Agom-Jarigbe a fresh Certificate of Return and that he should be sworn in immediately.

Cross River North Senate seat became vacant when Sen. Rose Oko died in March 2020.