Uduaghan to appeal tribunal’s verdict

Former Governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has commended the tribunal’s ruling at the weekend, saying however, that he would appeal the verdict.

He argued that rather than order a rerun election the certificate of return should be issued to him, while he should be sworn in as winner of the Delta South Senatorial District poll.

Uduaghan, who contested the election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal judgement, which sacked James Manager as Senator representing Delta South Senatorial District, was, however, commendable.

The three-man panel, led by Justice Chioma Onyeabor had nullified the victory of Manager who contested the election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23, 2019 poll over non-compliance with electoral guidelines in some parts of the district.

It, however, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election in the senatorial district within 90 days.

In a statement issued by Uduaghan’s Media Assistant, Monoyo Edon, he insisted that he won the election and vowed to challenge the tribunal’s judgment at the Court of Appeal.

He thanked the people of Delta South and his supporters who stood by him, and assured that they would get their deserved victory at the Appeal Court.

“While we are happy with the tribunal’s judgement that affirmed my party’s position that the election was rigged and characterised by over voting, we are not entirely satisfied with the judgement, as the tribunal ought to have deducted the excess illegal votes and declared me winner of the election.

“In view of this, we shall be challenging the tribunal’s judgement at the Appeal Court to declare us as the outright winner of the February 23, 2019 National Assembly Election for Delta South Senatorial District,” Uduaghan said.