The Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, the state capital, 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.
Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Great Ogboru, had in a petition marked EPT/DT/GOV/01/2019, challenged the victory of Okowa at the poll.
Ogboru while alleging that the election was marred with irregularities, over-voting and substantial non-compliance with the electoral act and guidelines, 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.
Chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice Sulaiman Belgore, dismissed Ogboru’s petition for lack of merit and affirmed Okowa as winner of that exercise.
Also, the Taraba State Governorship Election Tribunal on Friday affirmed the re-election of Governor Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party in the March 9, 2019 governorship poll in the state.
A three-man panel led by Justice M.O. Adewara unanimously dismissed the petition by Abubakar Danladi of the All Progressive Party challenging the outcome of the poll.
The tribunal held that the petitioners failed to prove their claims that the election was marred by irregularities and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
