Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba will on Friday, September 20 deliver judgment in the petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Great Ogboru.
Ogboru is challenging the return of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the March 9, 2019 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the petition marked EPT/DT/GOV/01/2019, the petitioner is alleging that the election was fraught with irregularities, over-voting and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act and guidelines.
He prayed the court to nullify the election and order the INEC to conduct a fresh exercise or, alternatively, declare him winner on the ground that he scored majority of lawful votes cast at the poll.
Chairman of the three-man tribunal Justice Sulaiman Belgore adjourned the matter for judgment after counsels to the respective parties had adopted their final written.
In their final written addresses, counsels to the first respondent (Gov. Okowa), D D Dodo; second respondent (PDP), A T Kehinde and third respondent (INEC), John Olusola, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking merit and competence.
The petitioners’ counsel Nichols Icheko urged the tribunal to grant the prayers, insisting the allegations of rigging and over-voting have been proved beyond a reasonable doubt.