Governor Ifeanyi Okowa: survives

Delta state Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal has dismissed the suits challenging the validity of  the governorship election on 11 April, affirming instead the election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

The tribunal headed by Justice Nasir Gunmi gave the ruling in Asaba today, amidst accusations that Okowa’s supporters already knew what was coming and were jubilating on Sunday.

Candidates of the Labour Party, Great Ogboru and that of APC, O’tega Emerhor, had approached the Tribunal, challenging the declaration of Okowa of the PDP, as duly elected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Their petitions were thrown out by the three-man panel for their failure to prove the allegations of corruption and substantial breach of the Electoral Act and electoral guidelines

Besides, the tribunal awarded a cost of N150,000.00 each against the petitioners which they are to pay to Okowa, PDP and INEC as respondents.

INEC had declared Okowa as winner, having scored the majority vote cast of 724,680 to defeat Great Ogboru of Labour Party who polled 130,028 votes and O’tega Emerhor of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who scored 67,825 votes.

Following the declaration of Okowa as winner,‎ Ogboru and Emerhor approached the Tribunal, alleging that the election was conducted in substantial breach of the Electoral Act and guidelines for the election, as well as corrupt practices.

In their separate judgements in the petitions delivered by Justice Nasir Gunmi, chairman of the tribunal averred that the petitioners failed to prove allegations of corrupt practices, breach of Electoral Act, over voting and manipulation of election result.