GEPT Affirms Governor Oborevwori’s Landslide Victory in Asaba.
The Saturday, March 18, 2023, governorship election held in Delta State and won by Rt. Hon. Francis Orhowedor Oborevwori, the governor of Delta State, was affirmed, earlier today, Friday, September 29, 2023, by the Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, GEPT, sitting in Asaba.
According to the Tribunal, the petitions brought by the governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, and Labour Party (LP), Ken Pela, lacked merit.
The tribunal, led by Justice C.H. Ahuchaogu, dismissed the petitions on various grounds.
In response to Omo-Agege’s allegations of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and corrupt practices during the election, the Tribunal found that the petitioners failed to provide sufficient evidence to support their claims. They also failed to present the BVAS machine as evidence of overvoting, which the tribunal deemed essential.
Regarding Gbagi’s petition, the tribunal held that it lacked substantial evidence to challenge Oborevwori’s victory, including the qualification of other candidates in the election.
Similarly, Ken Pela’s petition was dismissed for failing to meet the burden of proof.
The primary issue that undermined the cases of the three petitioners was their inability to produce the BVAS report, which the tribunal considered vital for proving overvoting.
The tribunal emphasised that BVAS was mandatory to establish overvoting, and the petitioners’ attempts to use other documents were deemed irrelevant.
The tribunal also pointed out that the petitioners failed to provide credible evidence, as their allegations relied heavily on hearsay evidence.
They were unable to prove non-compliance in each polling unit and did not demonstrate how corrupt practices affected the election outcome.
In the end, the tribunal affirmed Oborevwori as the winner of the gubernatorial polls in the state.
His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori, Governor of Delta State
Governor Oborevwori, in response to his victory, expressed his commitment to serving as a leader chosen by God and thanked the people of Delta for their support. He pledged to continue working for the development of the state.
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the APC candidate, expressed dissatisfaction with the tribunal’s judgment, claiming that it failed to consider the innovations in the Electoral Act, 2022.
He announced his intention to appeal the decision.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State congratulated Governor Oborevwori on his victory and advised the defeated candidates not to pursue further litigation, citing the tribunal’s endorsement of the people’s choice.
Rt. Hon. Funkekeme Solomon, the Senior Policy Adviser to Governor Oborevwori, urged Senator Omo-Agege to respect the verdict of the people and halt further litigation.
Hon. Solomon commended the tribunal’s decision, stating that Oborevwori won the election fairly and that the court should not be used to subvert the will of the people.
He highlighted Governor Oborevwori’s commitment to governance and infrastructural development in the state.
We, the entire members of ICT Like-Minds for PDP, hereby congratulate our amiable Governor on his victory at the Tribunal, as this marks the level of his acceptability by Deltans.
By Victor O’Dyle. Victor O’Dyle is a journalist, author, information and communications technology, ICT, professional, the Chief Executive Officer of Vicmoore Digital Image, a media/Internet company, and the Media/ICT Director of ICT Like-Minds for PDP.
