Secret Reporters No place to hide
In a press release by the SA, Communication and Strategy to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Godwin Anaughe the Court of Appeal today dismissed Chief Amori’s Motion seeking to set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal which declared Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as the lawful winner of the 2015 Delta Centra Senatorial District elections. Chief Ighoyota Amori ignored the clear provision of section 285 (7) of the 1999 constitution as amended, which limits the time for the hearing and determination of an election appeal to 60 days from the date of the judgement of the Tribunal and asked the Court of Appeal to re-open, re-visit, review, set aside or sit on appeal over its final judgement.
Today’s unanimous Court decision rightly rejected Amori’s attempt to circumvent the constitution. In striking down Amori,s motion, the Court of Appeal Panel sitting in Benin, reaffirms Omo-Agege victory, upheld the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and blocked Amori’s audacious and unprecedented attempt to unlawfully abuse the judicial process.
Make no mistake — this decision of the court is a big blow to PDP in Delta and a great victory for Labour Party, the rule of law and democracy. Had Amori’s motion succeeded, it would have created confusion in our electoral adjudication system, perpetuate illegality and set our democracy backward. And that is what we don’t want in this country right now.
We are thrilled that the Court of Appeal realised that its inherent powers to hear a case cannot be invoked when there is no jurisdiction, since such powers cannot supersede constitutional provisions on electoral matters. By rejecting Amori’s motion, the Court has made it clear to those who want to return to the senate fraudulently that the judiciary cannot be used to realise their inordinate ambition.
This ruling is on sound legal footing. We absolutely agree with the Honourable justices of Appeal. We thank the justices of the Court of Appeal for standing firmly for rule of law.
Despite all the misinformation campaigns, all the doomsday predictions for Labour Party, the mandate to represent Delta Central Senatorial District in the Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria will remain with the rightful owner. It is our hope that rather than keep refighting battles that have been lost again and again, Amori will join hands with Senator Ovie Omo-Agege who is focussed on working for the people of Delta Central Senatorial District to make Urhobo land more prosperous.
