Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal witnessed a heated exchange between the lead counsel for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), and the counsel for Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Damian Dodo (SAN), during the pre-hearing conference in Asaba, the capital of Delta State. This legal tussle marked the beginning of what promises to be a high-stakes legal battle.
In the petition EPT/DL/Gov/3/2023, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was listed as the second respondent. During the conference, Samson Egege, representing Dodo, called on the tribunal to strike out grounds one and two of the APC’s counter affidavit, deeming them incompetent. In response, Izinyon argued that the APC’s petition did not violate any laws, emphasizing that one ground supported the other.
Egege contended that the petitioners had combined two separate issues, specifically non-compliance and corrupt practices, under one ground. He urged the tribunal to require separate pleadings for each ground and highlighted discrepancies between the facts presented to support non-compliance and the issues being raised.
Regarding the second ground, which focused on the majority of lawful votes cast, Egege stated that the facts presented only pertained to allegations of vote inflation and multiple thumb printing, which he argued were criminal acts falling under corrupt practices. He asserted that such allegations should not be considered under the category of majority of lawful votes cast.
Egege also challenged the adequacy of the authorities cited by Izinyon to rectify the defects in the counter affidavit. In response, the APC’s legal team, led by Izinyon, called for the dismissal of the application, deeming it lacking in merit.
Izinyon argued, “Based on recent trends in legal ege Engage inpractice, it is evident that the grounds can be considered as a whole. We rely on the counter affidavit to dismiss this unmeritorious application.”
The Chairman of the three-member panel, Justice C.H Ahuchaogu, adjourned the pre-hearing trial conference until June 5, giving both parties additional time to prepare their arguments and evidence.