DELTA GUBER: TRIBUNAL RESERVES JUDGEMENT IN OMO-AGEGE’S PETITION

The Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, Thursday, reserved judgement on the petition brought before it by the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

Omo-Agege, in his petition, is challenging the declaration of the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, as winner of the March 18, 2023 gubernatorial election in the State by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The three-man tribunal headed by Justice C.O Ahuchaogu
adjourned for judgement after parties had adopted their final written addresses.

Ahuchaogu said the date for the judgment would be communicated to the parties and their counsels.

Counsel for the first respondent, INEC, Prof. John Abugu, said the commission had adopted in it’s entirety, a 30-page written address it had filed and urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lack of merit.

Counsel for Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Damian Dodo, SAN, said the second respondent wholely adopts all the arguments in his final written address in urging the tribunal to dismiss the petition.

While saying that the petition was bound to fail, Dodo argued that the nature and character of the allegations made by the petitioner were such that the “witnesses called by the petitioner could not and have not even with the documents brought to the court prove the petition.

“Petitions by their nature must be proved by evidence; this, the petitioners have failed to do”.

Counsel to the third respondent, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Ekeme Ohwovoriole, SAN, in adopting the party’s written address, said the petition was based on speculations and deserved to be dismissed.

On his part, Counsel to Omo-Agege, Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, while adopting the petitioner’s written address, urged the tribunal to hold that the petitioner proved the petition and therefore entitled to the reliefs sought.

Iziyon argued that the petitioner, had by the nature of the pleadings and the documents tendered, proved his case and urged the tribunal to declare the petitioner as winner of the election.