Delta Tribunal adjourns Gbagi’s suit against Oborevwori
Chairman, Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice C.H Ahuchaogu, yesterday, adjourned till June 13 the petition by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi challenging the declaration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori as the winner of the March 18 Delta governorship election.
Gbagi who approached the tribunal, filed a 79 -page petition against Oborevwori and his party, PDP; Deputy Senate president, Ovie Omo Agege and APC; LP candidate Ken Pela and APGA candidate, Great Ogboru, and all other governorship candidates that participated in the election, calling for their removal.
Justice Ahuchaogu, after listening to all the parties involved, adjourned the case to June 13 for the continuation of the petition, ordering all processes including interlocutory applications to be filed and exchanged with all parties before the next adjourned date.
Gbagi’s counsel, Magaji Ibrahim, (SAN), said that “Today, the pre-trial session commenced and by the grace of God, all parties have responded and have filed and exchanged their answers.
“As it is, a substantial part of the pre-trial has been conducted today. Now, what is left is that motions that are pending will be taken by the grace of God on 13th June.
“As you can see from the proceedings, my lords have given an order that all processes as regards the interlocutory applications must be filed and exchanged before the 13th of this month so that nothing will stop the hearing of all the applications, those that are pending and those that are to be filed.”
On the grounds of the petition, he said: “The grounds are as contained in the new Electoral Act. We are relying on three grounds, but basically, we are relying more on the first ground, Section 1.3(4) which is on the issue of qualification.
“We are challenging the qualification of all the candidates that participated in the governorship election in Delta State. We are saying that at the time they contested the election, they were not qualified, and because of that, the person that won and those who didn’t win will stand to be disqualified by INEC and once the disqualification succeeds, what we are saying is that the court should order a fresh election and at that time, it is only our candidate that will remain the only valid candidate to stand for the election.
