2011 guber election: Supreme Court awards N8m cost against Ogboru’s lawyer as Uduaghan hails ruling

The Supreme Court yesterday in Abuja awarded N8 million as cost against Dr. Dickson‎ Osuala, counsel to Chief Great Ogboru of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) for what it termed an abuse of court process.
To benefit from the N8 million are Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and attorney general of the federation (AGF). They are to get N2 million each.
The Supreme Court in a unanimous ruling delivered by seven justices said the‎ case instituted by Dr. Osuala on behalf of Ogboru amounted to an affront on the nation’s judiciary as well as an abuse of the court process.
“The said N8 million is awarded as cost against the person of Dr. Dickson Osuala and is to be paid from his pocket to the respondents, “ the apex court said.
Ogboru, through his counsel, had unsuccessfully tried to get the Supreme Court to reopen his case challenging the election of Uduaghan as governor in the 2011 governorship election in the state. It was the third time the DPP standard bearer would be making such a move.
But the Supreme Court panel presided over by Justice Walter Onoghene blamed Osuala for not advising his client rightly and embarking on a clear case of gross abuse of the court‎ process. The N8 million slammed on Osuala is for the said abuse and a deterrent to others who may make similar moves in future.
The justices further noted that Ogboru, through his counsel, wanted to resurrect a dead and buried horse, and warned that this would be the last time such a case should be brought before the court.
In a reaction at the end of the hearing, Governor Uduaghan, through the Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), Ovuozourie Macaulay, said the case and such divisive battles were of God‎ to deal with accordingly.
He said the ruling was a vindication that no man could fight God, adding that Ogboru and his ilk would have learnt a lesson and allow the state to move forward.
“Our case has always been in the hands of God. And like we said, God’s case has no appeal. That is what the Supreme Court has affirmed today and we hope Ogboru and his people would have learnt a lesson and realised that it is time to allow the state to move forward,” he said.