By Austin Ogwuda
ASABA—FOLLOWING the nullification of the election of Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan as Governor of Delta State by the Court of Appeal, Benin, Tuesday, Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Prince Samuel Obi was, yesterday, sworn in as the acting Governor of the State.

This came even as Dr. Uduaghan moved out of his official residence immediately after the judgment.

There was an initial delay in the swearing in as the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Roseline Bozimo was said to be insisting on having the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the judgment of the Court of Appeal before performing the swearing in.  It was, however, not ascertained if the CTC was eventually produced.

As a result, journalists who had assembled at the Government House premises at Asaba for the ceremony as early as 9.00 a.m had to wait till 5.00 p.m when the CJ finally arrived and formally swore in the acting governor.

From left: Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Sam Obi, being sworn in as Acting Governor of Delta State by the State Chief Judge, Justice Roseline Bozimo in Asaba

In his maiden speech, the Acting Governor, Prince Obi said: “While my stay in office will be temporary in line with provisions of the law pending the conduct of fresh elections, I pledge to ensure stability of government, the peace and security of lives and property in the state.

Maiden address by acting governor

“I wish to appeal to all Deltans and friends of the State to remain calm and go about their normal duties and endeavours. Let me assure all and sundry that the State Government will do all within its power to ensure that the machinery of government continues to run without let or hindrance.

“I want to also charge the law enforcement agencies to ensure that the event of the last few hours is not capitalized upon by nefarious persons to cause any form of disaffection or acrimony in the state.”

Immediately after the swearing in, the acting Governor went to hold security meeting behind closed doors.

Uduaghan moves out of official residence

Meanwhile the ousted Governor, Dr. Uduaghan, moved out of his official residence in Asaba in compliance with the ruling of  the Court of Appeal in Benin which nullified his election.

The former governor and his family moved out of the residence at about 9.00 p.m. on Tuesday  after addressing sympathisers who thronged his residence as news of the nullification filtered into the state capital.

Addressing the gathering which included members of  the PDP and Government House staff, Uduaghan sued for calm. He advised the people not to lose sleep over the development, saying God’s wish would prevail.

PDP Chairman in the state, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, who was among those at the Governor’s Lodge, charged  party members to return to their wards and  mobilise for the re-election.

PDP expresses great shock

The PDP has, however, expressed “great shock, total disbelief and consternation,” at the voiding of the election of Uduaghan as the duly elected governor of Delta and the ordering of fresh election within 90 days.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Rufai Alkali, said that the verdict would be a major setback for the forthcoming general elections.

He said that annulling an election and ordering for a fresh one a year to the end of the tenure of the incumbent would complicate the electoral process, adding: “The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has received the judgment of the Appeal Court sitting in Benin which voided the election of Emmanuel Uduaghan with total disbelief and consternation.

“A decision to annul an election and order a fresh one three years into the tenure of an incumbent complicates the electoral process especially against the background of recent judicial interpretations on when the tenure of elected persons should begin.”