Tribunal Sacks James Manager, Orders Rerun; Uduaghan Goes On Counter Appeal

By Uche Mbah

The Election Petition tribunal sitting in Asaba has sacked the senator representing Delta south Senatorial zone.

Manager is of the peoples democratic Party, PDP.

The former governor of Delta state, Emmanuel Uduaghan, had challenged his election in the tribunal citing irregularities. He prayed that the tribunal should invalidate the election.

Uduaghan is of the All  Progressives congress, APC.

In the ruling, Justice C. O. Onyeabo, who read the Judgment on behalf of his colleagues, Justice DA Onyeogbemi and justice SJ Usman, annulled the election, ordering a rerun within ninety days. Consequently, the judge ordered the withdrawal of the certificate of return given to Manager until the re-run election is conducted and a new winner emerges.

He ruled that the defendant could not adequately defend the election victory, particularly the issue of over voting and general irregularities in Burutu, Bomadi, Patani, Isoko North, Warri South-West and Warri North local government areas.

Manager is expected to appeal the judgement.

But Uduaghan had insisted that the Tribunal ought to have deducted the excess figures and declared him winner. Thereby, he is also going for a counter appeal to compel the appeal court to declare him winner.

The same scenario had played itself out in the tribunal judgement against Dino Melaye, PDP Kogi west, who got the same ruling from the tribunal holding in Lokoja. The PC also submitted a counter appeal.

These has made skeptics wonder why the All progressives Congress is scared of election reruns, but want to be declared winners out-rightly.