The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City, the Edo State Capital last Thursday affirmed Hon. (Engr.) Eme Mukoro as the candidate and winner of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) primary election for Ughelli South constituency into the Delta State House of Assembly.
Delivery judgment, Hon. Justice Tom Shaibu Yakubu dismissed the appeal file by one Mr. Mavis Ojigho, saying that Hon. Eme Mukoro was the rightful candidate who won the Democratic Peoples Party’s primary election in
Ughelli South.
Hon. Justice Yakubu while delivering judgment on behalf of other Justices affirmed that the appeal by Mr. Ojigho lack merit and therefore dismissed. The Appeal court however awarded N50, 000 costs against the appellant.
In his reaction to the court verdict, Hon. Eme Mukoro, said the victory is dedicated to the Almighty God and the Nigerian judiciary for coming to the aid of the oppressed.
An elated Mukoro who spoke through his media aide, Theophilus Onojeghen, praised the courage of the judges for their sound judgment and pray the mandate that was stolen from him will be duly reclaimed.
According to him, “We are very happy over the judgment by the Appeal Court.
It shows that no matter what, light must surely prevail over darkness. The
appeal Court has shown that it can actually bring justice to the oppressed in
the society. We dedicate this victory to God Almighty who has kept us going and to the members of our party in Ughelli South who have stood solidly behind us”
He said the judgment shows that in 2015 there will be free and fair elections to sustain Nigerian Nascent democracy, adding, “I can tell you that the present reforms in the judiciary is working and on course.”
It would be recalled that the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin in December 2011 has declared that Ughelli South DPP has no candidate at the time of election in Delta state, after the party won the House of Assembly election in the area; and thus declared Hon. Tebite Taleb of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of that election.