Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, whose election as Senator for Anambra Central was nullified Monday by the Appeal Court sitting in Enugu, has boasted that she will emerge victorious in the re-run ballot which must be held within 90 days.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Awka, the Anambra State capital, Senator Ekwunife said that no matter how many times the election is conducted, she will beat her closest rival, Chief Victor Umeh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

“I am not disturbed by the noise being made in government quarters concerning the outcome of the Appeal Court judgment. I am very optimistic that whenever the election is conducted I will win. I beat Victor Umeh in the last election, but I want to tell you that in the re-run election, I will beat him again and beat him silly,” she said.

Ekwunife described as laughable rumours making the rounds in some quarters that she is no longer the candidate of PDP for the March 2016 re-run election. She called on her opponents to be bold enough to face the election instead of resorting to cheap blackmail.

Senator Ekwunife labelled those peddling the rumour as enemies of democracy and people who want to enter into position of responsibility through the back door.

She said: “The recent judgment of the Court of Appeal did not and would not have dwelt on whether I was the authentic candidate of PDP, especially when the matter had been decided by court of competent jurisdiction.

“My emergence as PDP candidate has never been in doubt. Though some anti-democracy elements felt it was time for them to reap where they did not sow and took me to court, which has been decided in my favour by the Federal Court of Appeal. The recent judgment by Appeal Court sitting in Enugu did not in any way invalidate my candidacy of PDP and, as such, those who are jubilating that Ekwunife is no longer the candidate of PDP should better have a re-think.

“It is obvious that Senator Ekwunife has become a very big force to reckon with in the politics of Anambra and Nigeria in general and that is why some people are afraid to go into this re-run election and they are having a wishful thinking that with me out of the way, they would have a smooth sail, but the court has disappointed them as I will be waiting for them at the polls.”

Mrs. Ekwunife called on her supporters and the entire people of Anambra Central Senatorial Zone to be calm and remain focused as she is confident of victory during the re-run election in March 2016.

•Photo shows Senator Ekwunife.