TRIBUNAL: SDP Vows To “Vehemently Oppose” Plans To Discontinue Gbagi’s Petition

The National leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has warned that it would resist any attempt to “discontinue”, the petition of the governorship candidate of the party in Delta State, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi FNIM, OON that is before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Asaba, the State capital.

The National Legal Adviser of the party, Aderemi A. Abimbola Esq., in a letter dated Friday 5th May 2023, in reaction to an earlier letter of instruction dated 19th April 2023, by one E.S Ogbomade Esq., and signed by the sacked State chairman, Oke Idawene, instructing the lawyer to “take steps to file appropriate papers for the withdrawal of the Social Democratic Party and to strike out its name as a petitioner in the aforementioned petition”, warned that any step to discontinue the petition at the tribunal would be “vehemently opposed”.

The letter further warned that following recent reports of frantic efforts and devilish plots by the ousted SDP Chairman, Idawene and some unscrupulous elements from his quarters, to withdraw the Petition of the SDP gubernatorial candidate in the March 18th 2023 election, the party considers the clandestine move as a sham, saying that in all factual sense, it would not work.

The letter with Petition No. EPT/EL/GOV/02/2023, titled: “GBAGI K. OMEMAVWA & SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY V. INEC & 12 ORS, Abimbola said: “We refer to a letter of instruction dated 19th April 2023, signed by Oke Idawene, SDP Delta Chairman, on the above subject matter.

“We hereby wish to inform you that Delta State Social Democratic Party did not initiate the petition at the tribunal and the State chapter has no authority whatsoever to discontinue the said petition.

“Be informed further that any step to discontinue the petition at the tribunal would be vehemently opposed while you are therefore advised to disregard the said letter of instruction”.

While soliciting for Ogbomade’s cooperation, the National Legal Adviser, added, “A word is enough for the wise”.

It would be recall that in his desperation and selfish ambition for his pocket, the erstwhile chairman, Idawene, who was disgraced out of office, made attempt to withdraw Gbagi’s petition from the tribunal, a move that was exposed.