Delta Reps Head To Appeal Court

Two House of Representatives members representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Udu and Isoko federal constituencies, Rev Francis Waive  and Jonathan Ukohdiko, respectively, have said the grounds for the nullification of their elections by the tribunal are not known to Nigerian law.

 The lawmaker, Waive, in a signed statement disclosed that the non-publication of his academic qualification which he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) on its portal is not a ground for disqualification of a candidate, and as such, it’s alien to Nigerian law.

 Waive of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner of the February 25 election by INEC having scored the highest number of valid votes cast in the election.

 However, the Delta State and National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba on Monday declared Solomon Ahwinahwi of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) as the winner of the election.

 Reacting to the tribunal judgement, Waive disclosed that he fulfilled all the requirements of INEC and the law as expected of him and provided documented evidence to the tribunal, adding that INEC’s act of omission which he wrote to them should not be a ground for his disqualification.

 Similarly, Ukohdiko was sacked by the tribunal during its sitting on Monday in Asaba, which ordered a re-run for Enwhe Ward 09.

The tribunal also directed that the certificate of return issued to Ukohdiko of the PDP be set aside.

The judgement followed the petition by the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP), Mr Dickson Ebegbare, who insisted that Ukohdiko was not duly elected by lawful votes.

Ebegbare also argued that no election was held in Ward 09.

The lawmakers who rejected the tribunal’s judgement added that they have instructed their legal teams to study the judgement and immediately appeal it.

They also called on their supporters and party faithful to remain calm and law-abiding as they go on appeal.