The Appeal Court, sitting at the Lagos Division, on Monday, reserved judgment in three separate appeals filed by the governorship candidates: Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of the All Progressives Congress, Kenneth Gbagi, candidate of the Social Democratic Party, and Ken Pela, the Labour Party Governorship candidate. They are all challenging the election of Sheriff Oborevwori of the People's Democratic Party as the governor of Delta State.
The three-member panel, presided over by Justice Hamma Barka, reserved judgment in the three appeals after taking submissions from counsels for all the parties. Other members of the panel are Joseph Olubunmi Oyewole and Justice Hadiza Shagari.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had earlier declared the Governorship Candidate of PDP, Sheriff Oborevwori, as the winner of the March 18 governorship election in Delta State.
The Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba had earlier upheld Oborevwori’s election as Governor of Delta State.
Unlike what obtained in Kano State, where the courageous Election Petition Tribunal invoked the law and nullified toxic votes. The Kano State governorship election petition tribunal carefully deducted toxic votes from the candidates and declared the APC candidate as the winner. This is the strict position of the Act.
The Electoral Act presumes that ballot papers not signed and stamped by the presiding officers and did not fall within the category of the serial numbers disbursed to such areas are products of manipulation, corruption, and rigging. The Tribunal in Asaba failed to do justice to the matter by overlooking provisions of the Law.
Dissatisfied with the judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal in Asaba, the appellants challenged Oborevwori s election at the appeal court.
At the Monday hearing at the Appeal Court in Lagos, the lawyer to Ovie Omo-Agege and the APC, Dr. Alex Iziyon, presented his case citing non-compliance with the relevant laws and that the Ec8A forms didn't have serial numbers, and equally presented facts to back up his claims. After carefully hearing from all the parties, the Appeal Court reserved judgment to a date to be communicated to the lawyers.
This Court of Appeal, as currently constituted, is a different one. The Court is determined to deliver a just ruling, regardless of what inducements might be offered by those who want to hold Delta State down.
Deltans remain hopeful that the Appeal and the Supreme Court will act courageously and ultimately confirm Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege as the rightful winner of the March 18 Governorship election and restore public confidence in both the legal process and democracy.
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