Uduaghan To Appeal Tribunal’s Ruling Despite Lauding Judgement
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The former governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has reacted to the judgement of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal which sacked Mr James Manager as the senator representing Delta South senatorial district.
Shortly after the Tribunal’s ruling on Saturday, Uduaghan who contested the election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lauded the judgement, although he said he would appeal the judgement.
A three-man panel led by Justice Chioma Onyeabor had nullified the victory of Senator Manager of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23 poll over non-compliance with electoral guidelines in some parts of the district where the election held.
READ ALSO: Delta South: Tribunal Sacks Senator Manager, Orders Fresh Election
It, however, ordered the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election for Delta South senatorial district within 90 days.
Reacting in a statement by his media assistant Monoyo Edon, Uduaghan vowed insisted that he won the election and vowed to challenge the Tribunal’s judgment at the Court of Appeal.
He said, “While we are happy with the Tribunal’s judgement which affirmed my party’s position that the election was rigged and characterised 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 outright winner of the February 23rd, 2019 National Assembly Election for Delta South Senatorial District,” the former governor added.
He thanked the people of Delta South and his supporters who stood by him, with an assurance that they would get their deserved victory at the appeal court.