24th December, 2015
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has survived formidable challenges to his position into the new year, with the rulings by the Court of appeal today, upholding his election on 11 April.
It was a perfect Christmas gift for the governor as the court dismissed the challenges by Chief Great Ogboru of Labour Party and Olorogun O’tega Emerhor of the All Progressives Congress.
Both Ogboru and Emerhor appealed the judgment of the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had affirmed the election of Okowa.
However, in his ruling Justice Mrs Uwani Abba-Aji, sitting in Abuja said that the appeals lacked merit.
The appeal court had shifted sitting from Asaba to Abuja, amidst report of compromise of the panel. Uwani Abba-Aji headed the new panel constituted by the President of the Court of Appeal, Zainab Bulkachuwa.