George Thompson Sekibo

Senator Sekibo has said he will appeal his sack as the senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District even as he urged his supporters to remain calm and courageous as he expects the appeal panel to further appraise the facts of the matter and give him what he described as the “true judgment”.

It will be recalled that the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting over senatorial elections in Rivers State had on Thursday nullified the victory of Sekibo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and declared Uchendu, the candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC as the winner of the re-run election, which held on December 10, 2016.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared Mr. Sekibo winner of the election.

But in the ruling delivered yesterday, the tribunal ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return from Mr. Sekibo and give same to Mr. Uchendu.

In his reaction to the ruling, Sekibo described the annulment of his election as the “price a commander pays for leading a battle”.

The Senator, who expressed hope that his appeal will justify his victory and restore his people’s belief in democratic values, said that the sincere wishes of patriotic Rivers people and people of Rivers East senatorial district who came out and voted overwhelmingly for the PDP would never be subverted as “the truth cannot be defeated by shades of darkness.”

The PDP Senator reaffirmed his confidence in the capacity of the judiciary to dispense justice, just as he urged the electorate to remain steadfast in their support for him and the PDP in a statement issued in Abuja on his behalf by his Senior Legislative Aide, David Okoroafor.

He thanked his supporters for their prayers and support, saying he was aware that many were not happy with the tribunal’s judgment.