THE Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the election of Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor of Kaduna State and the election of Sheriff Oborevwori, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Delta State governorship poll which was held on March 18.
Delivering the judgment of Kaduna on Friday, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that the tribunal acted in error when it depended on inadmissible evidence to order the conduct of supplementary polls in 22 polling units of four local government areas (LGAs) where the exercise was deemed inconclusive.
The court stated that a key witness called by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the tribunal hearing merely gave hearsay evidence as he was not present when the malpractices he alleged happened.
The appeal court held that the allegations of deduction of votes, stuffing of ballot boxes, and mutilation of sensitive electoral materials made by the said witness were born out of hearsay.
The court also held that the tribunal was right in dismissing the petition of the PDP and Isa Ashiru because the petitioners had abandoned their petition for their failure to apply for the issuance of a pre-hearing information sheet after close of pleadings as required by paragraph 18(1) of the first schedule to the Electoral Act 2022.
…Oborevwori’s Victory In Delta Gov Poll
The Court also affirmed the election of Sheriff Oborevwori, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Delta State governorship poll which was held on March 18.
The judgment was delivered on Friday, nearly two months after the Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal upheld Obirevwori election.
The three-member tribunal headed by Justice C.H. Ahuchaogu dismissed the petition filed by former Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The tribunal held that the petition contained unsubstantiated allegations, noting that it was devoid of merit and speculative.
