UPDATE: Delta Election Petition Tribunal To Begins Sitting Monday --- Tribunal Scribe
The Delta State Election Petition Tribunal is set to kick start preliminary process of looking into petitions brought before it Monday.
Speaking to newsmen Friday, the Tribunal Secretary, Barr Ahmed Gusau, said the court (Tribunal), has granted some applications against the respondents.
He disclosed further that the Tribunal is at its priliminary stage of serving all the respondents, saying that an order of substituted service has been granted.
"Once it is served, it is as good as the person was served personally. It is posted at the party's secretary and the time starts counting from when the order was served", he said.
According to him, an order to inspect the materials used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has also been granted.
He stressed that the Tribunal granted applications for substituted service on the respondents in the petitions filled by the the former governor of the state and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for Delta south senatorial district, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, candidate of the APC for Delta north, Doris Uboh, candidate for Ika federal Constituency, Sabastine Okoh, Monday Igbuya, Mariere Ogaga and John Agoda.
A total of 51 petitions have been received by the Delta State Election Petitions Tribunal, arising from the 2019 National Assembly (NASS), Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
He revealed that a petition was filed against the state governor-elect, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, candidate of the Peoples'Democratic Party (PDP), by Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who was his major opponent in the election.
According to him, four petitions were filed for the senatorial election, two against Senator James Manager of the PDP, one against Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of the APC and one against Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.
The Tribunal Secretary hinted that nine petitions were also filed for the House of Representatives election, while 37 were filled by the House of Assembly candidates against the winners of the election.