JUST IN: Supreme Court affirms Oborevwori As Delta State Governor

The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the election of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State.

A five-member panel of the apex court, in a unanimous decision, dismissed an appeal the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, filed to challenge the outcome of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.

The court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Inyang Okoro, held that the appeal lacked merit.

It held that the APC and its candidate did not prove that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2023.

The court dismissed Omo-Agege’s contention that some of the result sheets that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) relied upon to declare Oborevwori as the winner of the election, did not have serial numbers.

The apex court noted that even if the total number of INEC forms that the Appellants complained about were removed, it would still not affect the margin of lead that was in Oborevwori’s favour.

It held that the Appellants failed to discharge the burden of proof placed on them by the law to warrant the setting aside of both the Court of Appeal judgement and the verdict of the Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

The court dismissed the petition without cost.

INEC had declared that Oborevwori of the PDP polled 360, 234 votes to win the governorship election ahead of Omo-Agege of the APC who secured 240, 229 votes.