Senator Omo-Agege & Governor-Elect, Sheriff, Pic-: The Guardian
As the Delta State Election Petition Tribunals for the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly Elections held in the State, resumed sitting in the State Capital, Asaba, prominent among the petitions is the petition of the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who is challenging the election of the Governor-Elect, Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori.
Whilst there are several petitions challenging elections into the State House of Assembly, as well as of the National Assembly seats, all eyes are on challenges to the Governor-elect, Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori of the PDP. Esther Esevohe and the Action Alliance (AC) are also challenging the election of Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori.
Also, in the fray is Mr. Kenneth Gbagi who is suing Oborevwori along with the candidates of the APC, the Labour Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Great Ogboru for the outcome of the same Governorship election.
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege in his petition alleges fraudulent counting, collation, recording of false results and declaration of the results across the 25 Local Government areas in the State and contends that he be declared the winner of the election through the lawful votes cast during the election. Pre-hearing in the Governorship petitions have been fixed for Monday, May 15, 2023.
At the heart of the petition is the ascertainment of the valid votes cast and recorded for the candidates in the election. In a charge at the INEC, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has filed motions for safe custody of the ballot papers, production of same by INEC and a re-count by the tribunal appointed officers assisted by representatives of the parties. This has sent shivers to the PDP and INEC.
Pressure is on INEC to produce the ballot papers, the basis upon which it declared Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori, the Governor-elect. Political watchers suspect that a ballot recount will expose the rigging machinery of the PDP across the Local Governments in the elections. Will INEC fail to rely on the ballots its officials used to declare the Winner of the Election?
Will the PDP be bold enough to have the ballots counted? Will the Tribunal buckle and not want to count the ballot papers? These are material questions that will unfold in Asaba in the new week.
The Supreme Court’s decision on the relevance of BVARS in proving over-voting and affirming the election of Governor Ademola Adeleke as Governor of Osun state is making waves across all tribunals in the country.
