Tribunal upholds Delta State Governorship Election as Accusations of N3 Billion Bribes Fly

With the headline-grabbing Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal result still fresh in the minds of politicians, all eyes were on Asaba today.

There, the Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal squashed the petitions of the All Progressives Congress and the Labour Party challenging Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s election win.

The Tribunal rejected the petition of the Labour Party against Okowa and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The tribunal asked the Labour Party to pay N50,000 each to the respondents in the case.

Just as the news of the tribunal victory spread, Sahara Reporters released a report claiming the “Delta Chief Judge Infiltrates Election Tribunal As Governor Okowa Doles Out N3 Billion Bribes”. SH says “the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro, has compromised at least two of the three members of the tribunal handling governorship, House of Assembly and National Assembly elections petitions in the state, a judicial source and a security agent have disclosed to SaharaReporters.”