Tribunal: Uduaghan Heads To Appeal Court, Says He Outrightly Won James Manager

The Delta South Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the February 2019 National Assembly election, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan has faulted the judgement of the election petition tribunal which on Saturday, September 7, 2019, ordered a fresh election for the Senatorial District within the next 90 days.

The immediate past Governor, stated this in the wake of the tribunal judgement which nullified the election held in the district won by incumbent Senator, James Manager of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as announced by the electoral umpire, INEC.

In a press statement made by his Media Assistant, Monoyo Edon, Uduaghan maintained that he won the election and has turned his attention to the Appeal Court to claim his mandate pressing that, he is not entirely satisfied with the judgement as the tribunal ought to have deducted the excess illegal votes and declared him and APC, the rightful winner of the election.

The statement read as follows;

His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, the Immediate Past Governor of Delta State and the All Progressives Congress Candidate for Delta South in the last general elections has expressed appreciation to the Justice C.O Onyeaba-led Delta South Senatorial Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba for nullifying the victory of Senator James Manager in the February 23, 2019 National Assembly Election.

The tribunal panel consisting of Justice C.O Onyeaba, (Abia), Justice D. A. Oyegbemi (Nasarawa) and Justice S.N.J Usman (Kogi) had in a judgement earlier today established that there was substantial non-compliance with INEC electoral guidelines in some parts of Delta South Senatorial District and connivance among security agencies, staff of INEC and agents of the People’s Democratic Party to massively cause over voting in favour of the PDP candidate to which the tribunal subsequently directed INEC to withdrawal the Certificate of Return from Senator James Manager and conduct a rerun within 90 days.

However, Dr. Uduaghan still maintains that he won the election and has turned his attention to the Appeal Court to claim his mandate.

“While we are happy with the tribunal’s judgement which affirmed my party’s position that the election was rigged and characterized with electoral over voting, we are not entirely satisfied with the judgement as the tribunal ought to have deducted the excess illegal votes and declared me and my party rightful 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 outight winner of the February 23rd, 2019 National Assembly Election for Delta South Senatorial District.”

Dr. Uduaghan thanks the good people of Delta South and supporters who had been waiting for the outcome of this judgement. He dedicates the victory to the people of Delta South assuring of victory at the Court of Appeal.

Monoyo Edon,
Media Assistant to Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, CON