The Delta State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, Delta State has adjourned hearing on the legality of the petitions filed by All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party challenging the victory of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the just concluded governorship election.
At the resumed hearing, Counsel to the APC, Mr. Thompson Okpokor (SAN), argued that the tribunal should grant them the opportunity of providing key witnesses to tender relevant documents relating to the results of the governorship election held in Delta State.
In the same vein, Counsel to Labour Party, Dele Adesina (SAN), argued that since the tribunal, on the application of the petitioners, have issued some witness summons or subpoena to tender documents relating to the results of the election, the objections of the defendants cannot stand, hence they lack the right to object to the tendering of those documents.
But the lead counsel to the PDP and Governor Okowa, Alex Iziyon (SAN) arguing during the separate hearing, urged the tribunal not to admit the documents calling for the witnesses to come and testify, saying that the documents submitted to the tribunal are not backed up by the original petitions.
He therefore urged the tribunal to reject the petitions.
After hearing from the various parties, Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Nasiru Gunmi, adjourned the ruling on the matter to August 21 and 22 for the APC and Labour Party respectively on whether to accept or reject the application of the petitioners.
