The Senatorial Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta Central District, Evelyn Omavowan Oboro has expressed dissatisfaction over the inability of the Election Petition Tribunal to make available copy of judgment delivered over six days ago on the petition challenging the outcome of the Delta Central Senatorial election held on 23rd February, 2019.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Oboro contested the Delta Central District senatorial seat and lost the election to the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who is now the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate.
In the election, which Oboro went on to contest it’s outcome at the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Asaba, Delta State, the PDP candidate polled a total of 99,422 votes to emerge the closest rival to Omo-Agege, who polled a total of 111,100.
In confirming the victory of Deputy Senate President Omo-Agege in the February 23, 2019 National Assembly elections, the tribunal declared that the petitions filed by the PDP and Oboro lacked merit, and it was subsequently dismissed.
Oboro’s four prayers, including seeking the tribunal to declare her as the winner of the election, were struck out by the panel members.
However, over 6 days after the tribunal confirmed Omo-Agege winner over Oboro, the tribunal was yet to make available copy of the judgment delivered to the PDP or to the candidate of the party, Oboro.
Meanwhile, Oboro has vowed to approach the National Judicial Council (NJC) and Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) if the tribunal continue with the delay in making available copy of the judgment.
In a statement signed by her Media and Publicity Director, Sunday Apah, Oboro frowned at the refusal by the tribunal to make available the copy of the judgment despite applying for same over six days ago.
She explained in the statement that her petition was the first filed before the registry of the tribunal and also the first petition where trial was commenced and concluded.
She lamented in the statement that there was no day past that her counsels and aides don’t go to the court to ask of the copy of the judgment but they gave them excuses that are not genuine.
“So I see it as a deliberate attempt to delay our moves to appeal the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
“I have decided to appeal the judgment and copy of the judgment needed by our counsel to file a Notice of Appeal is not yet ready after closure of our case over two months ago and and judgment over six days ago,” she said.
Meanwhile, a constituent in Delta Central Senatorial District has advised that now that Omo-Agege is the Deputy Senate President, Oboro should forgo her petition, and move on.
“Sentiments apart, Hon. Evelyn Oboro can never reverse or change (on appeal) the tribunal judgement affirming DSP HE Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege’s popular re-election as Urhobo nation’s Senator. Impossible because it is just watertight.
“First, Omo-Agege’s preliminary objections (POs) killed the entire petition described by the tribunal as “cancerously defective”. At the end of the rulings on the POs, all the grounds on which the petition was brought had been knocked out. The reliefs were also knocked off as “ungrantable”.
“That is what happens when a legal giant of the huge standing of Dr. Alex Iziyon (SAN) leads a legal defense team. Always bullish in deploying intellectual superiority to inflict maximum injury on the ‘other side’.
“On the merits, no credible evidence was adduced in support of the wild allegations made in the petition. A petition replete with criminal allegations that were not proved. Entirely worthless. A waste of time and other resources – both tangible and intangible.
“Let our sister move on. She has done her best. Many respect her ambitious guts, though they have now been proven as insufficient for the enormous task of unseating a political titan in the class of the Obarisi of Urhoboland. No wonder Shakespeare noted in ‘Julius Cesare’ that “Ambition should be made of sterner stuff”.
“Power belongs to God. This is Omo-Agege’s reign and it’s divinely arranged, as can be seen by all. It’s unstoppable.
“If I were Oboro, I would call and congratulate my elder brother, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the duly elected Deputy President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and end the political fight.
“That way, Evelyn, the proud daughter of Oboro from Uvwie and former Honourable Member of the House of Representatives would have set herself up for greater future political leadership, as there is hardly any reward in undue political recalcitrance,” Henry Efe Duku stated.