Tribunal upholds Okowa’s election in Delta

The Delta state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba on Friday upheld the election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and dismissed the petition filed by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and its candidate, Chief Great Ogboru.

Ogboru and the APC had challenged the declaration of Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the election.

But, the three-man tribunal headed by Justice Suleman Belgore had adjourned judgement mid-way following power outage after he had declared that Ogboru and his party could not prove substantially the issue of over -voting and rigging in 15 local government councils out of the 25 local government councils in the state.

On resumption in the ruling, Justice Suleman Belgore held that in all the witnesses called by the All Progressive Congress Party and Chief Great Ogboru,non could give cogent evidence as the alleged over voting and rigging by the petitioners, and therefore described the petition to have lacked merit and exercise in futility and threw it out.

According to him,the petition lacks merit and incompetent from the evidence before the tribunal and it’s unfortunate that the petitioners could not prove their case beyond reasonable doubts as it cannot be proven that there was over -voting.

The victory which saw Gov. Okowa’s aides including family members and well wishers jubilation, literally paralyzed major roads in Asaba and its environs as they rolled out the drums in wild celebration.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Sheriff Oboriworiwi has congratulated Gov. Okowa, saying that the victory was for democracy and urged Ogboru to accept defeat as a serial loser .

He however, assured Deltans of the state government’s commitment of the Okowa led administration to the development of the state, especially in the provision of basic infrastructures