Ebenezer Adurokiya – Warri
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Delta, has rejected the declaration of Sheriff Oborevwori of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the March 18 governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Recall that the INEC Returning Officer, Prof Georgewill Owuneri, had, on Monday, declared that Oborevwori polled a total of 360, 234 to beat Omo-Agege who scored 240, 229 and the LP Candidate who polled 48,047.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sunny Areh and made available to journalists on Monday, Omo-Agege said the election was characterised by fraud and other myriads of infractions.
“A while ago, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Delta State announced Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, gubernatorial flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor-elect following the March 18 governorship election.
“The declaration was made despite the myriad of infractions and acts of impunity on the part of the PDP in the course of the election. These were brought to the attention of INEC with incontrovertible proof.
“The March 18 election was characterized by massive fraud, unprecedented vote buying and voter suppression perpetrated by the PDP in the course of the election.
“The fraudulent nature of PDP’s so-called victory is just too damning and daring for it to be acceptable in any decent society. Most of those infractions are in the public domain and known to INEC officials and the security agencies involved in superintending the election.
“In the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections, the results pointed to an unequivocal rejection of the PDP. Of the three senatorial zones in the state, APC won two while PDP controversially edged out the Labour Party in the Delta North Senate race.
It was an unadulterated verdict of Deltans on how they have fared under 24 years of governance of their state by PDP.
“On the basis of the factors listed and more that will come later, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, governorship candidate of the APC in Delta State as well as the leadership of the party, unequivocally reject the declaration by INEC of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori of the PDP as winner of the March 18 governorship election.*
“We will challenge this fraudulent result using all legal means.
“As a democrat and Deputy President of the Senate, Omo-Agege will explore all lawful avenues to reclaim the mandate freely given to him by the good people of Delta State.
“To the numerous supporters of APC and the entire public that share in Omo-Agege’s vision of building a new Delta State, we urge you all to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding.
“I can assure all our teeming supporters and all Deltans that the PDP pyrrhic celebration of a stolen mandate will be short-lived.
“By the grace of God and the clearly expressed wish of the people, this electoral heist will be reversed and Senator Omo-Agege will be sworn in on May 29, 2023 as the lawfully elected Governor of Delta State,” the statement read in whole.
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