We won in the field, we shall win in the court, says Delta PDP

·        *  We shall claim victory, says Labour Party

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta state says it welcomed the decision of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which threw out its motion that sought to disallow the Labour Party’s governorship candidate in the April 10, 2015; Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru from calling additional witness after the pre-hearing time had lapsed. It pointed out however, that it is encouraged by the position of the tribunal that bringing in more witnesses will not affect the trial.

Chief Ogboru is challenging the victory of the PDP governorship candidate Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa at the tribunal, which on Saturday dismissed as unmeritorious the three motions brought by Governor Okowa, the PDP and the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC). The motions had urged the tribunal to stop Ogboru’s application to call more witnesses after the time allowed by the Electoral Law had lapsed; arguing that allowing such would amount to Ogboru bringing in a witness surreptitiously.

But the tribunal disagreed with the averments of the respondent- applicants, declaring that there is no sufficient reason to persuade the tribunal to invalidate the subpoena already issued for Ogboru to produce more witnesses, and so could not set aside the subpoena issued.

Reacting shortly after the ruling, State Assistant Secretary of PDP, Mr. Sunday Onoriode literally said the party had taken the ruling in good faith since the tribunal has said that admitting more witness after the pre-hearing period has lapsed will not affect the case. “If you follow the ruling, you can see that the case is very clear. There are those things that the PDP objected to like the tendering of documents.  The tribunal has made the case better, and we are very, very sure; we are confident. We won in the field and we are going to win in the court,” Onoriode pontificated.

Also in his reaction, the State Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Chief Tony Ezeagwu said the ruling in his party’s favour was expected because they knew it wouldn’t have been otherwise. “Because there is no way you will beat a human being and ask the man not to cry. If you look at the scenario, INEC conducted the election. What we are saying is that INEC should come to court. The tribunal says that what they are doing is very genuine, but unfortunately they are not interested in doing that. But we all know that what they are doing is to buy time,” Ezeagwu said, adding: “It is not as if those who filed those motions did not know that the motions will not sail through. They filed them so as to delay the hearing of the substantive petition. Today (Saturday, August 22, 2015) is the 113^th day. What they are doing is to make sure that they manipulate and see how to delay the hearing until the time is elapsed.

“But I assure you that by the grace of God we are going to claim the victory, the Labour Party chairman said.