The Election Petitions Tribunal ll, sitting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, has sacked Senator James Manager of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the senator representing Delta South Senatorial District at the National Assembly.
In a unanimous judgement, which lasted over three hours, the panel cancelled the election and ordered for a fresh election in the district within 90 days.
Former Delta State governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, had approached the tribunal, seeking the panel to declare him the winner of the February 23rd, 2019 National Assembly election.
Uduaghan’s counsel, Thomson Okpoko (SAN), further prayed the tribunal to nullify the election and order for a fresh election over gross electoral malpractices that trailed the exercise.
The chairman of tribunal panel, Justice O.O Onyeabo ordered INEC to withdraw Certificate of Return issued to Senator Manager for a re-run election.
Justice Onyeabo stated that the defendants, Senator Manager and the PDP, could not defend the allegation of overvoting and irregularities leveled against them by former Governor Uduaghan and the APC.
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The areas in dispute were; Burutu, Bomadi, Patani, Isoko North, Warri South-West and Warri North Council Areas of the District. But reacting to the judgement, Senator Manager, speaking through his lawyer, Mr Larry Selekeowei (SAN), vowed to challenge the tribunal’s judgement at the Appeal Court in Benin.
Senator Manager’s counsel said that they were not satisfied with the judgement but will study and appeal it.
