By Pleasure Onohwakpo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State says it is baffled at the decision by the National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal in Asaba that declared Hon. Solomon Awhinawhi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the February 25 House of Representatives election for Ughelli North , Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency instead of its candidate, Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, the member representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency.
The party in a statement issued on Monday, September 11, 2023 and signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo Esq, said the recent judgements coming from the tribunal against the APC particularly the judgment on Monday should be a thing of concern.
The party questioned the rationale used in arriving at the judgment despite the level of evidence it presented to the court during trial.
The party claimed that in view of the recent judgments emanating from the tribunal there seems to be a conspiracy through the judiciaryl to hijack the party’s hard won victory at the polls.
The statement reads in full: “Following the decision of the NASS Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Asaba against Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, the member representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Delta State wishes to express its utmost shock and dismay at the judgment which has declared the PDP Candidate, Hon. Solomon Awhinawhi of the PDP as the winner of the February 25, 2023 House of Representatives election for Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency.
“The decision of the tribunal today, which has now followed a familiar string of recent decisions emanating from the various tribunal panels in the State against the candidates of the Party, has become a serious cause of concern as it tends to create the impression that there is a grand conspiracy to use judicial subterfuge to hijack our hard won victory and mandates at the polls, through the instrumentality of the elections petitions tribunal panels which seem poised to deliver questionable judgments against our Party.
“While stating categorically that our Party will continue to hold the judiciary in high esteem and confidence as the last hope of the common man and the bastion of a decent society, it has become necessary and desirable to question the grounds upon which these judgments are based, particularly when delivered against well-established principles of law and the strength of evidence given in the course of trial, thereby leading to a perversion of the cause of justice.
“It is pertinent to reiterate the fact that the Delta State APC, though presently alarmed at the decisions from the various tribunals in Delta State so far, will refrain from arriving at the irresistible conclusion that these decisions delivered are tainted with corrupt practices and financial compromise by the opposition party in the State.
“However, the Party uses this opportunity to assure members of the APC in the State and the general public to remain calm, peaceful and law abiding as we have, unwavering faith in the judiciary, particularly at the appellate courts, where we honestly believe that justice will be done in due course to redress the injustice encapsulated in these judgments which are not based on grouds known to the Constitution and the Electoral Act.”
