Politics

Tribunal Upholds Omereji’s Election

Rivers State Local Government Election Tribunal sitting in Port Harcourt has dismissed the petition of Maru Nyeche of the Action Alliance Party, AAP and two others against the election of Chief David Omereji of the All Peoples Party as Chairman of Emohua Local Government area.

In his judgement Chairman of the Panel, Menenen Poromon Esq, said the Petitioners did not prove allegation that Chief David Omereji did not resign his appointment as Caretaker Committee Chairman before contesting the election beyond reasonable doubt.

The Tribunal ruled that Newspaper report was not admissible in evidence as such report amounted to Hearsay unless proven by the author of the report.

He contended that David Omereji actually resigned his appointment as Caretaker Committee Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council as the letter of resignation tendered by witness was never seriously challenged under cross examination of the Petitioners by the Defense Counsel.

He maintained that the Petitioners could not prove the allegation that David Omereji did not qualify to contest the election on account of alleged failure to resign as CTC Chairman of Emohua LGA, which is the fulcrum on which the entire case of the Petitioners revolve, and subsequently dismissed the petition as lacking in merit.

Speaking outside the Court room, the Lead Council to the Defence team, Barr Henry Odili who is also the Counsel to All Peoples Party,  expressed happiness that the Tribunal saw reason in the argument of the Defence team.

According to him, “It was a very correct decision by the Judge. He gave all the salient points to support the decision and the position of the law on all that we canvased for .

He agreed with us that the Respondent, that is the Chairman of Emohua was duly elected.

He was qualified as at the time of the election and there was nothing disenfranchising him from contesting the election and subsequently winning the election.

So as it stands now, he is cleared , he is the Chairman and the Tribunal has given its judgement”.

In his remark, Lead Counsel to Chief David Omereji, Barr Chuks Uguru said with the judgement it is now clear that Chief Omereji was eminently qualified to contest the October 5th Local Government Election in Rivers State.

“At the end of the election that held on the 5th day of October, 2024, as you know, the second Respondent to the petition, David Omereji was declared the winner and returned elected by RSIEC, but the petitioner here, Maru Nyeche, who was the candidate of Action Alliance Party was peeved by the declaration of David Omereji as the winner and filed this Petition to challenge the declaration by RISIEC.

So we have gone through the whole garmut of trial and today to the glory of God the Tribunal has seen through the roots in the petition.

The Tribunal has held that David Omereji was eminently qualified to contest that election and he was properly and rightly returned as the winner of the election.

The implication of that is that the election of David Omereji as the Chairman of Emohua Local Government area has received judicial affirmation of his electoral victory and judicial victory “.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council, Chief David Omereji has described the ruling of the Rivers State Local Government Election Petitionh Tribunal dismissing the petition challenging his victory at the October 5th election as victory for the people of Emohua

Chief Omereji said the dismissal of the petition would enable the administration focus on providing more developments for the people of the area.

Chief Omereji who spoke through his Chuef of Staff, Obinda Nwordu at the Court premises shortly after the judgement, appealed to the people of the area to support his leadership, restating his commitment to providing inclusive governance for the people. He thanked the people of Emohua for giving him the opportunity to serve, and the Judiciary for affirming his electoral victory, assuring that the mandate given to him would not be abused.

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