Paul Osuyi, Asaba

The Delta State Elections Petitions Tribunal will on Monday commence sitting on the petitions filed by aggrieved candidates in the 2019 general elections.

The tribunal received a total of 51 petitions including the one filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the return of the incumbent governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the March 9 polls.

Secretary of the tribunal, Ahmed Gusau, who disclosed the date of the inaugural sitting in Asaba, told journalists that some applications had already been granted against various respondents at the preliminary stage.

Specifically, he said the tribunal granted the application for substituted service on the respondent in the petitions filed by a former governor of the state and Delta South senatorial candidate of the APC, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who is challenging the election of James Manager of the PDP.

Besides, he said application for substituted service has also be granted to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central) of APC whose election is being challenged by Evelyn Oboro of the PDP, while the application of Doris Uboh (Delta North) of APC was granted for substituted service on Senator Peter Nwaoboshi of the PDP.

According to him, other petitioners who had their application for substituted service granted were the candidates for the House of Representatives election including Sebastian Okoh, Monday Igbuya, Mariere Ogaga and John Agoda.

He disclosed further that the tribunal was at its preliminary stage of serving all the respondents.

“Once it is served, it is as good as the person was served personally. It is posted at the party’s secretary and the time starts counting from when the order was served,” he explained.

He added that an order to inspect the materials used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had also been granted.