By Akinwale Kasali
The Court of Appeal Appeal Sitting in Lagos has dismissed the petition by the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship Candidate, Ovie Omo-Agege, against the election of of Sheriff Oborevwori as Governor. The Court affirmed Oborevwori victory in the March 18th, 2023 Governorship Election in Delta State.
Oborevwori, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governorship Candidate at the Poll was declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, after he secured 360,234 votes to defeat Omo-Agege who trailed behind him with 240,229 votes.
Before the Court of Appeal’s verdict, the Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, had on September 29, affirmed Oborevwori as the duly elected governor of the State.
A three-member tribunal, led by Hon. Justice C.H. Ahuchaogu, in its judgment dismissed the petition for lack of merit. But Omo-Agege, the immediate past Deputy Senate President, appealed the judgement.
The Lagos Division of the Appeal court, on Monday, 13 November reserved judgment in three separate appeals filed by Omo-Agege as well as governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi and the Labour Party, LP, Candidate, Kennedy Pela, all challenging the election of Oborevwori as the Governor of Delta State.
Delivering judgement on Friday November 24,the Appeal Court upheld the Governorship victory of Oborevwori.
Following this development, the Delta State Chapter of the PDP through Ifeanyi Osuoza, PDP’s State Publicity Secretary, in a Statement expressed its hearty congratulations to the State Governor and leader of the party in the State on his well-deserved Appeal Court victory.
This congratulatory message also assured that the victory is another step towards ensuring the steady and continuous implementation of the MORE Agenda for Deltans.
The statement reads: “Your Excellency, our leader, it is with unreserved joy, pride and satisfaction, that the entire PDP family in Delta State, offer our hearty congratulations to you, on your well-deserved victory at the Court of Appeal.
“We applaud the judiciary once again for their learned, articulate and well-delivered judgement, which is a further affirmation of what we had already stated categorically and without equivocation, that the PDP overwhelmingly won the 2023 Delta State Governorship election and Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori is undoubtedly, the duly elected Governor of Delta State.
“While we recognize the fact that our petitioners have the freedom of choice to pursue their legal convictions to whatever conclusion they may have envisioned, we still wish, with the best intentions, to offer our olive branch and hand of fellowship by urging them to reconsider any further challenge, after this Appeal Court verdict, to avoid frittering extra resources in these very hard times.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, who has indeed, started so well and exhibited impressive governance and excellent leadership skills since assuming office, is greatly buoyed now to continue the fine work of delivering the dividends of Democracy to our people and as a responsible and people oriented party, it is our utmost desire to carry all Deltans along in the collective effort to ensure the best for our State.
“His Excellency Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has already and amply demonstrated his large-hearted, all encompassing and accommodating politics without bitterness disposition for all to see and it behoves on all true, patriotic and well meaning Deltans to eschew further political acrimony and join hands with the Governor to consolidate on the delivery of the MORE Agenda in the interest of Deltans.
“Once again, Congratulations, Your Excellency”, the statement reads.
The Governor is the immediate past Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.
