The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party SDP, in Delta State, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, the March 18, 2023 governorship election at the state has given reasons for challenging the declaration of the candidate Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori, as winner of the poll at the governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
In his 76-page petition filed by his counsel, Chris Uche, SAN, Gbagi stated that “We are maintaining three basic grounds; one is that all the other parties and their candidates are not qualified.
“Secondly, the election itself was not conducted in line with the Electoral Act 2022 as amended and other statutory provisions.
“Thirdly, it was marred with massive rigging and other electoral malpractices.
Gbagi alleged that those who attempted to contest the election with him were not qualified for the race, saying that his prayer was to “remove persons who have no business contesting governorship election in the state. Delta State needs a renewed atmosphere of honesty, and purposeful character.”
“In the election, there was lots of malpractice, vote-buying, food being cooked for people, wrappers being bought for them, all of these are part of what the Electoral Act spelt out to be a crime. My petition has encompassed all of that and I believe strongly that the judiciary would do what they ought to do.
“If you declare a result that has nothing to do with the Bimodal Voters Verification System, BVAS, the result stands cancelled. The fact will speak for itself. Maybe people thought that it is business as usual, we did not go into the election for a joke, we meant what we wanted to do, and we planned for it.”
In the petition, Gbagi is contending that as at the time of the election, Oborevwori was not qualified to run for the office of governor and also did not meet the requirement to be elected and returned by majority of lawful votes.
Joined in the suit as co-defendants were INEC, PDP, All Progressives Congress, APC, and its governorship candidate, Ovie Omo-Agege, and other governorship candidates in the state and their parties.
Gbagi is contending that aside Oborevwori, other candidates, including Omo-Agege and Great Ogboru of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and Ken Pela of the Labour Party, LP, were also not qualified to run for the office of governor in the state.
In his argument against Oborevwori declaration as governor-elect by INEC, Gbagi contended that Oborebwori in an attempt to meet the constitutional requirements of eligibility for the 2023 governorship election, presented a fake Declaration of Age/Affidavit in support of personal particulars in Form C.F.001.
Source: The Nation