By Austin Ogwuda
ASABA—HISTORY was made at the sitting of the Delta State House of Assembly, yesterday, as the man who almost stopped Prince Sam Obi, from climbing to the pinnacle as an Acting Governor,  Mr. Dumbiri Uweh,  was cleared for appointment as a Commissioner in the state.

Vanguard gathered that the re-run election ordered by the Court of Appeal in the state, might hold on  December 18.  A top brass in Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, dropped the hint, yesterday.

Cleared by the state lawmakers were,  Paulinus Akpeki, Brave Enodeh, and Peter Ekereokosu, Ngozi Okolie and Leonard Esegbue, were not immediately cleared but  asked to furnish the House with copies of their credentials.

Uweh’s 2007 election petition, which went up to Court of Appeal,  Benin, caused ripples in some quarters as the matter was scheduled for judgment on the very day Obi was to be sworn in as the acting Governor of Delta State, following the sacking of the former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan by the same Appeal Court.

The appellant contested the PDP primaries in November 2006 to enable him contest the Ika North East constituency seat,  in his petition alleged that the party did not follow due process in substituting him for Sam Obi.

Obi  who occupied the Ika North East constituency seat eventually rose to become Speaker when the member representing Ika South constituency Martin Okonta was ousted by the court on the same allegation of wrongful substitution.

Also, yesterday, the House received another batch of nominees for appointment as Commissioners, barely 24 four hours after the exco was dissolved.

Meanwhile reliable source told, Vanguard, yesterday, that the re-run might hold on Saturday, December 18.

Although the date has not been officially confirmed, the source said “you know the Appeal Court said there should  be a re-run election within three months,  so it can hold before then.”