Uduaghan Floors Ogboru Again… THISDAY Reporter Attacked

Source: OPIA WILLIAMS, THEWILL. - thewillnigeria.com
DELTA STATE GOVERNOR, DR EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN.
DELTA STATE GOVERNOR, DR EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN.

ASABA, July 25, (THEWILL) - The three-man re-run Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, Delta state capital, early Monday afternoon quashed the petition brought by the governorship candidate of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), Chief Great Ogboru against Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

The Tribunal judgment was however followed by spontaneous violence and echoes of gunshots as tugs suspected to be members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and some rampaging youths indiscriminately attacked people in the Umuezei quarters, few meters away from the venue of the tribunal in the state capital.

In the judgment which lasted well over three hours, and delivered by Justice Doris Ogwurike, the tribunal upheld the election that produced Governor Uduaghan, maintaining that Ogboru was not entitled to any of the reliefs he sought.

Ogboru had prayed the tribunal to declare him winner of the rerun, claiming that election did not hold in Warri North, Warri South, Warri South West, Ethiope West, Isoko South, Patani and Burutu Councils in accordance with the provisions of the Amended 206 Electoral Act.

Justice Ugwurike ruled that Ogboru failed to prove his claims beyond reasonable doubt.

“…That the re-run election was conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with substantial provision to the Electoral Act 2010 and the 1999 Constitution. That the petitioners are not entitled to any of the reliefs sought. That the petitioner did not poll the highest number of lawful votes.

“Consequently the petition is hereby dismissed,” Justice Ogwurike declared.

The court had barely finished dismissing Ogboru’s petition for failing to prove his case when hell was let loose by some thugs who attempted to vandalize the headquarters of the opposition party, just some few hundred metres away from the court located on Nnebisi Road.

The youths who were apparently ecstatic were repulsed by rival thugs who quickly mobilize in self defence. In the ensuing melee, broken bottles littered Umuezei Road while several cars were vandalized and innocent passersby manhandled and robbed by the hoodlums, even as the THIS DAY Correspondent, Prince Victor Efeizomor had not only his Honda sedan car vandalized, but his laptop and N50,000 was stolen from the car.

He however escaped the scene of the riot with minor injuries sustained from the shattered windscreen of his car.

Ogboru, DPP To Appeal
Ogboru’s counsel, Mr. Mogbeyi Sagay (SAN) however addressed journalists saying, “We will go home and study it”, but the state chairman of the DPP, Chief Tony Ezeagwu said: “We must appeal the judgement, we go on appeal. There is no doubting that. We are not satisfied with the judgment.”

Uduaghan Urges Ogboru to end litigations
Governor Uduaghan after the tribunal’s judgement urged the DPP and its candidate, Great Ogboru to drop all election petitions in the interest of the state and Deltans, describing the series of litigations as a huge distraction for Deltans as a whole.

He declared, “No victor, no vanquished.”

Speaking through the Delta Information Commissioner, Mr. Chike Ogeah, Uduaghan added that it was time to move the state to its next level of greatness and enjoined all Deltans to make their positive contributions.