Anxiety Grips Delta As Tribunal Decides Okowa's Fate In 48 Hours

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Palpable anxiety appears to be hanging densely over Delta State as the Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal is set to make final ruling on the two petitions filed against the election of Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa as Governor following the April 11, 2015 election in the state.

The tribunal is expected to give its verdict within 48 hours on the petitions filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), O'tega Emerhor, and that of the Labour Party (LP), Great Ovedje Ogboru, challenging the declaration of Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Delta State Governor by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which was joined in the suits as 3rd Respondent.

The tribunal Chairman, Justice Nasiru Gunmi, about two weeks ago announced that the three-man panel would pronounce its judgment at a date not later than October 28, 2015.

Justice Gunmi said that this was based on the fact that counsel to the respective parties (petitioners and respondents) had on Tuesday, 13 October, 2015 concluded the adoption of their respective written addresses by both the respondents and the petitioners.

The tribunal chairman stated that the tribunal would communicate the actual date of the final ruling on the petitions by the APC and LP "on or before October 28, 2015".

Counsel to Okowa, the PDP and INEC in the two cases, Dr Alex Iziyon (SAN), Mr Timothy Kehinde (SAN) and Mr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), respectively adopted the written address on the petition by Chief Great Ogboru and the LP as well as that filed by O'tega Emerhor of the APC.

Generally, the three counsel sought the dismissal of the two petitions, which are essentially seeking the cancellation of the election and an order of the tribunal for a rerun.