Tribunal Decides Governor Okowa’s Fate, Dimisses Petition

The governorship election tribunal sitting in Delta state has reportedly upheld the election of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Tribunal also dismissed a petition filed by the governorship candidate of Labour Party, Chief Great Ogboru.

Earlier it was reported that there is anxiety in Delta state as the election petition tribunal in the state would be deciding the fate of Okowa soon.

The tribunal was expected to give its final ruling within 48 hours on two petitions filed against the victory of Okowa as governor in the April 11, 2015 governorship election in the state, This Day reports.

The impending judgement was said to be making members of both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People Democratic Party (PDP) apprehensive.

Okowa of the PDP was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The candidate of the APC, O'tega Emerhor, and that of the Labour Party (LP), Great Ovedje Ogboru, went to court, challenging his victory.

READ ALSO: Tribunal Upholds Victory Of PDP Lawmaker, Dimisses APC

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In the petitions, Emerhor and Ogboru urged the tribunal to nullify the election on the grounds of substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).

Two weeks ago, Justice Nasiru Gunmi, chairman of the tribunal announced that the three-man panel would pronounce its judgment at a date not later than October 28, 2015, based on the fact that counsel to the respective parties (petitioners and respondents) had on Tuesday, 13 October, 2015 concluded the adoption of their respective written addresses by both the respondents and the petitioners.

At the weekend, Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal dismissed Nyesom Wike as the governor of the state and ordered that a rerun be conducted. After the tribunal’s verdict, Wike made it known that that he will appeal the judgment.

On October 21, an election tribunal in Akwa Ibom also ordered a rerun of the governorship election in the state. The Justice Sadiq Umar-led tribunal sitting in Abuja ordered the INEC to conduct a re-run election in 18 local government areas of the state.

Source: Legit.ng