Tribunal Upholds Governor Okowa’s Election

The Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Friday upheld the election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party, declaring him as the authentic winner of the March, 9, 2019 governorship election.

Chairman of the three-man tribunal which sat in Asaba the state’s capital, Justice Sulaiman Belgore, dismissed a petition by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Great Ogboru, for lack of merit.

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Mr Ogburu had in a petition challenged the victory of Okowa at the poll, alleging that the election was marred with irregularities, over-voting and substantial non-compliance with the electoral act and guidelines.

He prayed the tribunal to nullify the election and order the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a fresh exercise or declare him winner on the ground that he scored majority of lawful votes cast during that exercise.

His petition was however dismissed on all grounds by Justice Belgore who stated that the petitioners did not prove their case beyond reasonable doubts as required by law.