The Abuja Court of Appeal has issued a directive for the Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, situated in Asaba, to reexamine the petition lodged by Mr. Ken Pela, the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate, against Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
This order was given during the delivery of a ruling on Thursday morning in response to an interlocutory appeal filed by Mr. Pela, contesting the tribunal’s dismissal of his petition.
The tribunal had previously dismissed Mr. Pela’s petition in July, citing its incompetence and a blatant breach of paragraph 18 subsection 1 of the 4th Schedule to the Electoral Act 2022.
Pela’s petition challenges Delta state gubernatorial election outcome
In his petition (EPT/DL/GOV/01/23), Pela challenges the outcome of the 2023 gubernatorial election in Delta State and seeks the tribunal’s permission to annul the declaration of Oborevwori as Delta State’s governor.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was listed as the 1st respondent in the petition, while Governor Oborevwori and his Deputy, Monday Onyeme, were the 2nd and 3rd respondents, respectively.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the 4th respondent.
Unsatisfied with the tribunal’s ruling, Pela escalated the matter to the Court of Appeal, seeking an order, among other things, to compel the tribunal to consider his petitions.
An insider with knowledge of the situation clarified that the recent proceedings at the Court of Appeal merely addressed interlocutory matters and that the case would return to the tribunal panel in Delta to continue its deliberations.