Issues in Contest: Vote and Evidence (Vote Counting and Evidence Presentation) The Delta North Story - By Lauretta Ulumma

By virtue of my understanding of the case at hand and my opinion on the said case in the PDP Delta North Senatorial Election, it seemed good to me also, having had a fair understanding of the issues at the very first, I wish to state that Since this development people have been asking from me how things are and how it can be resolved, there are mixed reactions especially from the explanations coming from the Appeal Court ruling. The Federal high court expressed the view from the evidences provided by Dr. Prince Ned Nwoko on the votes cast at the Delta North Primary Election, that he won the election. But his victory was stolen because instead of publishing his name as winner, the Independent National Electoral Commission published the name of one of the opponents in the person of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

When the supposed winner was asked by the Federal High Court to tender his evidence in court, he could not, even the leadership of the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on whose platform the said winner contested the primaries declined presenting the result sheet of the primary election, stating through its legal counsel that the ballot papers and other sensitive materials have been overtaken by turn in events. The court decided to work with the evidence at their disposal in all fairness and pronounced the candidacy of Senator Nwaoboshi null and void while ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue Prince Ned Nwoko its certificate of return and publish his name as winner of the October 2019 Primaries. It was a wise decision which brought joy to the whole of Anioma Land.
Following the refusal in stay of execution of the ruling passed from the Federal High Court, the legal team of Senator Nwaoboshi approached the Appeal court with the sole aim to appeal the case in view. The Appeal court on the other hand which listened to the Judgment of the Federal High Court  heard the Senator Nwaoboshi Story and agreed with his story that Ned Nwoko’s case was time barred. One question which remains on the minds of people  now is,  was the Federal High Court ignorant of the time barred issue from the onset of the trial and if they were, was the matter raised by the legal team of Senator Nwaoboshi during the hearing?
We recall that the Federal High Court Judge took the decision that his court is competent to hear the case. So decision was taken with the time bar factor in consideration. This is the concern of the electorate.  In particular the Delta North Electorates are aghast. Its understood everywhere that the decision of the lower court can be voided by an Appeal Court but is “time barring factor” really the issue in this case? No it is not the issue in this circumstance. The electorates are been denied of their choice senator for 2019 for Anioma people.
 Anioma craves for a senator that is open and sincere in his dealings with them. They do not need a senator that will collect constituency project funds and go back home to sleep in a selfish manner, thinking only about himself. Technical issues when relied upon in court brings sour taste in the mouth of the innocent electorate who sometimes wonder why it’s too hard for the law to appreciate the wishes of the electorates.
For instance, if the people have said that (Dr.) Hon. Prince Ned Nwoko is their choice senator for 2019 to 2023, what will it profit the court to rule otherwise based on the rather flimsy excuses that the matter was not filed within the stipulated time. Even where the beneficiary of this imaginary result cannot produce evidence of VICTORY in court.
You cannot give VICTORY to a man who has not produced any evidence of election result that gave him that VICTORY. Where is his platform -  on technical reasons? No it is not enough. The electorates are not happy with all this legal jargon and I think the Supreme Court will take notice of the issue that concern the masses and the choices they have made in this Anioma Senatorial struggle where there should be no struggle because the clear choice has been made. This is what is called true democracy.