Omo-Agege Speaks: Delta State Governorship Election Tribunal’s Judgement: An Appeal For Calm, As We Continue To Pursue Our Case And Cause

The New Diplomat
Writer

Ad

Ranked: U.S. Crude Oil Imports by Country

Key Takeaways In 2024, 61.7% of America’s crude oil imports were from Canada. Meanwhile, Mexico accounted for 7.1% of crude oil imports. Crude imports make up about 40% of the oil that is refined in America, much of which is heavier crude compared to America’s light oil. For decades, America was a net importer of…

Alleged N85 Billion Nigeria Air fraud: Ex-Minister Sirika Debunks Allegations

By Abiola Olawale The immediate-past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has spoken on the controversies surrounding the Nigeria Air project, a national carrier initiative that sparked widespread criticism. Speaking during an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday, Sirika dismissed claims of fraud and mismanagement. Sirika, during the interview rejected allegations of fraud, claiming that Nigeria…

Alphabet surges after court rejects DOJ’s call to break up Google in antitrust case

By Obinna Uballa Alphabet shares jumped 6% in premarket trading on Wednesday after a United States court rejected the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) push to break up Google in a high-stakes antitrust case. The DOJ had proposed divesting Google’s Chrome browser and imposing strict restrictions after the company was found last year to hold an…

Ad

Today, the 29th of September, 2023, the Governorship Election Tribunal holden in Asaba, Delta State gave judgement in our petition challenging the return of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The outcome is not what we expected.

Let it be said with every sense of conviction and responsibility that in reaching its judgment, the Tribunal in Asaba, in our respectful view, failed to avert its mind to the intendment of the plethora of unambiguous innovations now contained in the Electoral Act, 2022. In relation to the instant petition, these are most particularly evident in sections 137 and 73(2) and paragraph 46(4) [First Schedule) of the Act mandating the Tribunal on how to properly handle the required evidence duly placed before it by the petitioners in proof of the petition and corroborated by INEC itself.

We hold the reasoned view that if the Tribunal dutifully attended to the unassailable evidence in support of ALL the polling unit results and every other relevant electoral document duly tendered before it using our present electoral jurisprudence and benchmarks already set by the Supreme Court as its compass, today’s outcome would have been clearly in our favour.

As chief proponents of a clean electoral system, we disagree that ballots obtained in manifest breach of the Electoral Act and our Constitution are lawful and valid votes in the 2023 Delta State Governorship Election. Further, we also do not believe that the law permits the Tribunal to do nothing having found as a matter of fact and consistent with the petition that votes were arbitrarily inflated in favour of our opponents.

Also, we do not believe that today’s judgment is in consonance with the letters and spirit of the new Act which, for the first time in our electoral history and jurisprudence, now unequivocally mandates a Tribunal to reject and cancel an election conducted at a polling unit if the serial numbers and other identities of the electoral materials used are not formally recorded into the INEC prescribed forms. We know that where this particular infraction is manifest on documentary evidence before the tribunal, the Act clearly says such must be thoroughly considered by a Tribunal and the result cancelled, as same is unlawful. This, regrettably, is not the case with the instant decision.

So, let us be clear. For the matters mentioned herein and much more, we say with calm confidence and conviction that today’s judgment is nothing but a grave injustice that will not stand appellate scrutiny. But we must thank their Lordships for all they did as humans given the very toxic and intimidating environment in which they operated in the last six months. We wish them well.

In view of the foregoing, I have instructed my erudite legal team to immediately appeal the judgement of the Tribunal. We are grateful for their steady industry and extraordinary commitment.

I call on our people to remain calm and law-abiding. We came into this race to rescue our beloved Delta State knowing that it will not be a smooth sail. So, keep hope alive. With God, we shall get to our destination under His abiding grace.

Signed:
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, CFR
(Obarisi of Urhoboland & 2023 Delta State Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress)

September 29, 2023,
Abuja.

Ad

X whatsapp