Last week, Gusau had told Journalists in Asaba that the tribunal received a total of 51 petitions, including the ones filed by former Governor and Delta South Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Emmanuel Uduaghan, against his opponent, James Manager of the the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ahmed Gusau, Secretary of the Delta State Elections Petitions Tribunal, has announced that it will hold its inaugural sitting on Monday towards decising the petitions filed by aggrieved candidates of various political parties in the just concluded 2019 general election.
Last week, Gusau had told Journalists in Asaba that the tribunal received a total of 51 petitions, including the ones filed by former Governor and Delta South Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Emmanuel Uduaghan, against his opponent, James Manager of the the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The petitions also include that of APC governorship candidate, Great Ogboru, against Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, as well as that of APC House of Representatives candidate for Isoko, Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, against the House of Representatives Minority Leader, Leo Ogor of the PDP.
Speaking on the commencement of the tribunal sitting on Monday, Gusau disclosed that some applications had already been granted against various respondents at the preliminary stage, adding that the tribunal granted the application for substituted service on the respondent in the petitions filed by Uduaghan, who is challenging the election of Manager.
The tribunal scribe also said application for substituted service had also been granted to the APC senator representing Delta Central, Ovie Omo-Agege, whose election is being challenged by Evelyn Oboro of the PDP, while the application of APC candidate for Delta North, Doris Uboh, was granted for substituted service on the PDP senator representing Delta North, Peter Nwaoboshi.
According to Gusau, other petitioners whose applications for substituted service were granted include the candidates for the House of Representatives election, including Sebastian Okoh, Monday Igbuya, Mariere Ogaga and John Agoda.
"The tribunal is at its preliminary stage of serving all the respondents. Once it is served, it is as good as the person was served personally," he said.
"It is posted at the party’s secretary and the time starts counting from when the order was served. An order to inspect the materials used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has also been granted."