The Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal yesterday reserved ruling in two preliminary applications brought by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Specially, the tribunal is to determine whether the applications would be entertained along with the main petitions or entertained before the hearing of the main petitions.

Governorship candidate of Labour Party, Chief Great Ogboru and that of All Progressives Congress (APC), Olorogun O'tega Emerhor in two separate petitions are challenging the declaration of Dr. Okowa of the PDP as the winner of the April 11 gubernatorial election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The applications for the preliminary objections to the petitions were filed by Okowa and the PDP.

Chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice Nasiru Gunmi reserved ruling in the applications for Tuesday, June 30, 2015 after listening to arguments from the respective parties represented by their various counsel.

Counsel to Okowa, Alex Iziyon and counsel to the PDP, A.T. Kehinde had told the tribunal that the first motion is challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the petitions on the grounds that the processes of the petitioners were not competent, while the second motion is seeking to dismiss the petitions having been deemed abandoned following the failure of the petitioners to apply for hearing notice.

While urging the tribunal to entertain the applications before the hearing of the petitions proper, Iziyon noted that it was the duty of the respondents to draw the tribunal’s attention to the things that were not done properly, insisting that the motions were not intended to waste the time of the tribunal.

But Dele Adesina, counsel to Ogboru and the LP and Thompson Okpoko, counsel to Emerhor and the APC countered, arguing that the motions were deliberately raised to waste time and urged the tribunal to hear the applications along with the main petitions.

Meanwhile, Governor Okowa has called on those that contested the gubernatorial election with him and were not successful to join hands with him in moving the state forward.

He appealed to them to set aside their differences and collaborate with his administration to bring about more development to the state. He also called on all political leaders to provide selfless service and ensure the delivering of democratic dividends to the people of the state.

Okowa disclosed that his administration would be all inclusive as no Deltan would be left behind in the pursuit of his development agenda.

The governor spoke yesterday in Otu-Jeremi, Ughelli North, Delta State, during a reception in celebration of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) victory in Delta Central Senatorial District of the state.

He explained that as leaders elected into positions by the people they had a responsibility to deliver on the promises made.

“The real thanksgiving is by developing a stronger relationship with the people and selfless service and my administration will continue to make efforts to ensure that dividends of democracy comes to Deltans,” Governor Okowa said, assuring that his administration would redeem its promise of prosperity for all Deltans.

He expressed gratitude to the people of Delta Central for the role they played in delivering PDP candidates during the elections saying: “In Delta Central it gladdened my heart that PDP got the majority votes during the elections thereby delivering our candidates into the various positions vied for.”

•Photo shows Governor Okowa.

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