Church celebrates Uchendu Senatorial victory at tribunal

The First African Church Mission has rejoiced with Senator Andrew Uchendu, who was declared authentic winner as Senator-elect of Rivers East Senatorial District at the Upper Chamber by the Rivers State Election Tribunal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The Primate of the The First African Church Mission, Most Reverend, His Eminate Sunday Matiliukuro, made the remark while speaking with journalists at the headquarters of the Church in Lagos, adding that the entire congregation was grateful to God for hearing their prayers and supplication on behalf of the Senator.

He said Uchendu is a strong member and indeed one of the pillars of the Church, who at all times had been a strong financier of the Church.

It would be recalled that few days ago, the Rivers State elections petition tribunal sacked PDP’s George Thompson Sekibo, Senator representing Rivers East and declared Andrew Uchendu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the senatorial election.

The Tribunal also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Sekibo and issue a fresh certificate of return to Mr. Uchendu.

The Tribunal’s decision was hinged on the fact that Mr. Uchendu won the lawful majority vote cast during the Rivers re-run legislative election.‎

Uchendu had approached the tribunal with a petition asking the court to declare him winner of the poll, alleging that INEC failed to take into cognisance the results of some wards and polling units before declaring Sekibo the winner of the polls.

Against this backdrop, the Primate of the Church, where Uchendu worships, claimed they knew God would at the end vindicate them and return their son to the post, hence the jubilation by the congregation upon hearing the tribunal’s verdict few days ago.

“We, of the African Church Mission, knew at the initial stage that our prayer and supplication to the Almighty God cannot go in vain, hence our ceaseless prayer for our brother and one of the strong pillars of this Church that God should restore all that belongs to him. So after hearing the tribunal’s verdict, we all burst into great songs of Alleluya and rejoicing for the deserved victory,” Matilukuro said.

Benjamin Omoike