The Delta State Government has made it clear that the Abuja-based Appeal Court just directed the tribunal to hear the matter afresh and did not invalidate Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s election.
This may not be unrelated to the widespread rumours that circulated throughout the state soon after the Abuja decision that Mr. Ken Pela, the Labour Party candidate, had been proclaimed the victor by the appeals court.
Festus Ahon, the governor’s chief press secretary, issued a statement in Asaba on behalf of the state administration claiming that the Appeal Court had only ordered a rehearing of the appeal.
“We have been deluged with reports from a portion of the media that the Appeal Court had declared Mr. Ken Pela of the Labour Party as the winner of the 2023 governorship election in Delta State,” the statement read.
The Appellate Court just directed the tribunal to hear the case, therefore the report is nothing more than fake news.
“It was clear from the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the election’s umpire, that the Labour Party did not win the election and, thus, could not have prevailed in court.
“Our people enthusiastically supported Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s election and turned out in big numbers to do so. We thus implore Party supporters and Deltans to ignore the aforementioned stories because they were fabricated by the Labour Party and its supporters.
“We also ask Deltans to exercise patience. Governor Oborevwori was examining different current projects in Asaba and its surroundings at the time of the false report. He won’t be sidetracked by rumours since he is committed to giving the state’s citizens the benefits of democracy.
In order to take the appropriate action, “our lawyers are studying the Appeal Court judgement,” he stated.
Tony Ezeagwu, the state’s Labour Party chairman, has praised the appeal court’s decision in the meanwhile.
When it reconvenes to consider the Labour Party’s case, he predicted that the Asaba governorship election tribunal will be able to act correctly.
