The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Warri Federal Constituency in the 2023 general elections, Ekpoto Ekpoto Emmanuel, has rejected the judgment of the National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, which upheld the election of Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, saying the tribunal’s judgment, “did not express the spirit of the Electoral Act 2022 with particular reference to section 137.”
Ekpoto made his position known in a press release circulated on Sunday September 10, that he shall consult extensively with his legal team and stakeholders, with a view to taking appropriate actions.
He said: “I want to thank and sincerely appreciate all my unrepentant supporters for your overwhelming support during the campaign, the election period, and the litigation process.
“On Saturday, the 9th day of September 2023, the National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba refused the petition filed by my humble self and the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the wrongful declaration of Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi of the People Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the election for the Warri Federal Constituency of 25th February 2023.
“I, therefore, use this medium to assure you, my teeming supporters, the good people of Warri Federal Constituency, our great party leaders, faithful loyalists and members, that I will not betray and abandon the mandate that was freely and overwhelmingly conferred on me in that election. Still, I shall further consult with you all to pursue and recover the same and bring joy to our hearts.
“To this end, I now REJECT the tribunal’s judgment in its totality as I believe the decision did not express the spirit of the Electoral Act 2022 with particular reference to section 137, which states inter Alia.
“It shall not be necessary for a party who alleges non-compliance with the provisions of this Act for the conduct of the election to call oral evidence if originals or certified true copies manifestly disclose the non-compliance alleged.
“The 2023 general elections were conducted using the Electoral Act 2022, and delivering judgment with the provision of the 2010 Electoral Act shall not stand and cannot withstand further legal scrutiny.
“In this, therefore, I shall consult extensively with my legal team and all stakeholders, study the judgment diligently and proceed with appropriate actions to recover our God-given mandate, as I believe that the ruling was unjust, irresponsive and failed to address our grievances, thus totally unacceptable to me, to you, to our party leaders and to all of us. We shall continue to struggle and do whatever is necessary within the ambit of the law until our mandate is recovered.
“Thank you again for the overwhelming support thus far, as I do not doubt that we will be victorious at last and that the Warri Federal Constituency shall be great again.
“I, therefore, urge you all to remain calm, go about your business peacefully and be unperturbed by the too-early celebration of those who are wrongly but temporarily in possession of our mandate.”
