Delta State National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba on Sunday ordered a re-run election for Ethiope West Constituency seat in the State House of Assembly.
While Pastor Christian Onogba contested the March 18 election on the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Blessing Achoja ran on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the election declared Achoja as the winner.
The three-man tribunal panel headed by Hon Justice W. I. Kpochi as chairman has Hon Justice Chinedu V. C. Ezeugwu and Hon Justice Safiya B. Umar, as members.
The tribunal in its ruling ordered the nation’s electoral umpire to within 90 days conduct a re-run election in 39 units where the election was cancelled across Ward 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8 in Ethiope Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, NewsNet Nigeria gathered that the Asaba residence of Onogba presently has erupted in jubilation as supporters and other stakeholders thronged his residence to celebrate the tribunal’s victory with him.
A PDP stalwart in Delta State who craved anonymity disclosed to this medium that the 39 units where the re-run would be conducted are the party’s strongholds in Mosogar and Oghara.
Pastor Christian Onogba is a two-time member of the Delta State Executive Council in charge of the Brace Commission during the administration of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and later superintended the Ministry of Environment in the first tenure of immediate past Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.
