Delta State Election Tribunal Dismisses Omo-Agege’s Request To Nullify Sheriff’s Victory

A move by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, a candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 18 governorship election in Delta to nullify the victory of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been dismissed by the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

VerseNews Nigeria reports that Senator Omo-Agege had filed an application for the counting of ballot papers used for the March 18 election which were tendered before it in evidence.

Counsel to the Omo-Agege, Dr Alex lzinyon, SAN, had in an oral application, said the ballot papers were already admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits urging the tribunal to grant the application in the interest of justice and in the interest of all parties.

But counsel to the first respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Joe Abugu said that the commission stood by the result and figures in the declaration of the second respondent, Governor Oborevwori as winner of the election.

But said they would abide by the discretion of the tribunal to decide whether or not to recount.

Governor Oborevwori’s counsel, Damian Dodo, SAN, objected the application, saying that a case for a recount of ballot by the petitioner has not been made out.

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According to Damian, a person who is dissatisfied with the results of the election must first apply for a recount at the polling unit, nothing from pages 1 to102 of the petition showed that the petitioner demanded for a recount at any of the 1333 polling units in question.

He said there was nowhere in the body of the petition where the petitioner sought a relief for recount of ballot papers.

Also counsel to the third respondent, the PDP, Ekeme Ohwovoriole, SAN, had described the application as unmeritorious and adopted in it’s entirety, the submission of the counsel of the second respondent.

The three-man tribunal panel headed by Justice C.O Ahuchaogu, in it’s ruling said such discretion cannot be done in an oral application.

”There is no merit in this oral application for recount and it is hereby dismissed”, Ahuchaogu said.