Following the annulment of the Delta State Assembly elections of the lawmaker representing Burutu Constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly, Alapala Ebitonmo, by the State Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Asaba, on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, the lawmaker has vowed to appeal the judgement in his bid to reclaim his mandate.

Recall that Alapala, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, unseated the incumbent lawmaker of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Hon. Asupa Forteta, who is also known as the “Political Motorsaw” in the Saturday, March 18 poll that held nationwide.

According to Igbinobo Charles, the Returning Officer for Burutu Constituency 1 who declared the results on Sunday, March 19, at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC's Collation Centre in Burutu, said Alapala secured 7,296 votes to beat his closest opponent and the incumbent lawmaker, Asupa of the PDP, who got 6,416 votes; a difference of 880 votes.

But passing judgment on Tuesday, the tribunal held that the State Assembly election recorded over-voting in certain units in Ward 4 and Ward 11 in the Burutu Constituency 1, and subsequently ordered a rerun in three units in Ward 4, and one unit in Ward 11, in the constituency.

The tribunal also ordered for INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return it issued to Alapala and conduct a rerun within 90 days.

Reacting to the judgement on Tuesday, Alapala said, "I urge my numerous supporters to be calm as there is no cause for alarm. I've directed my lawyers to get to work immediately and prepare for an appeal. This mandate was given to me by the people of Burutu Constituency 1. I'll reclaim that mandate," he vowed.

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