The petitioner, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, retired Maj-Gen Charles Airhiavbere, among others is alleging that the July 14 governorship election was marred with fraud, rigging and manipulations.
Joined as co-defendants in the suit are the Action Congress Party of Nigeria (ACN) and the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
Airhiavbere in the petition added that he filed his petition to deepen democracy and the rule of law in the overall interest of the people of the state.
The petitioner said that he was contesting the outcome of the election, alleging Oshiomhole did not possess the minimum qualification and that the modern school certificate as presented by him (Oshiomhole) before INEC was fake.
He further alleged that INEC did not conduct the election in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2012 (as amended).
But Oshiomhole and his party, in their preliminary objection, said the Electoral Act did not prescribe qualification to be met by a candidate seeking to contest election to the office of a governor.
And in a twist, the PDP named as the second respondent in the petition had earlier filed a notice of withdrawal from the case.
The State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, at a news briefing said it was painful that the party decided not to file any petition at the tribunal in the interest of the state.
Orbih noted that the party leadership was mindful of the consequences the state would run into with protracted litigation.
He noted that “while our party worked and abided by the principle of one man one vote, our main opponent engaged the instrumentalities of intimidation''.
“The results of the election are not only ridiculous but also completely at variance with rational reasoning and human expectations,” he said.
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