Hon. Marie Ebikake, a former member of the House of Representatives, was elected to represent the Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency of the State on February 25, 2023. Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli, a former member of the House of Representatives, has accepted the Election Petition Tribunal’s decision.
Sunny-Goli also expressed her congratulations to PDP candidate Ebikake and declined to dispute the Election Petition Tribunal’s ruling.
Sunny-Goli declared he will not continue in a statement released on Thursday in Yenagoa.
“After considering the recent decision of the Election Petition Tribunal, handed down on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, which upheld the victory of my opponent in the February 25, 2023, House of Representatives election, Hon. Marie Ebikake, and the obstacle a protracted legal squabble poses to the development of our constituency, I have come to the conclusion that it is best to accept the decision of the Tribunal and not pursue an appeal.
“My conclusion is based on my own experience during the 2019 election, during which my rival, the same Hon. Ebikake, brought me before the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, respectively.
Without sugarcoating anything, I must say that the legal dispute was disturbing and distracting. I truly hope that I won’t be a hindrance to the very people whose interests I am trying to advance by extending this legal dispute beyond the Election Petition Tribunal.
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Hon. Marie Ebikake on her victory in the House of Representatives election in February 2023 as well as the favourable decision the Election Petition Tribunal rendered against me.
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Hon. Marie Ebikake on her victory in the House of Representatives election in February 2023 as well as the favourable decision the Election Petition Tribunal rendered against me.
“I’m excited to watch her work to represent our people in the National Assembly and deliver the benefits of democracy to our people.
“Let me use this opportunity to inspire both my supporters and followers. The future promises opportunities for us that are brighter than anything we may have accomplished during our political journey, therefore this is by no means the conclusion of our political dreams.
We will overcome this momentary setback in our political journey by bouncing back even bigger, stronger, and better, therefore I beg you to maintain your composure and optimism. We have a fresh chapter with better prospects ahead of us, and soon we will have cause to be grateful for God’s kindness to us.
