Indications emerged yesterday that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State is having a sleepless night over the pending verdict of the Supreme Court on the appeal contesting his declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as winner of the March 18, 2023 poll.
The Guardian also learnt that the opposition party leaders, who took him to court, face the same fate each passing day.
With a series of adjournments, political watchers in the state are of the view that the move is creating room for high-level lobby by both the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government and other parties to win at all cost.
Already, stalwarts have temporarily relocated to Abuja to undo one another in a case that could swing either way.
Although the governor won at the tribunal and appellate court levels, the tension among politicians in the state over the matter is palpable.
In Asaba, the seat of power, businesses and social activities have been momentarily grounded, as residents await the ruling.
A visit to Government House and some offices at the State Secretariat revealed skeletal services, as workers gathered in groups, discussing the court matter, as it affects Oborevweri’s seven-month old administration if the table turns against him.
But others believe that the governor would laugh last, having earlier secured victories at the lower courts.
Journalists are not left out, as hordes of correspondents and Government House crew have taken “refuge” within the premises awaiting the ruling.
In a related development, the apex court has reserved judgments in the two appeals seeking to unseat Governors Ahmad Aliyu and Kefas Agbu of Sokoto and Taraba states.
The five-member panel of judges, headed by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, yesterday, withheld verdicts to a date to be communicated to parties in the matter after briefs were adopted by lawyers.
Sunday Ameh (SAN), lead counsel to the appellants, Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and its candidate, Saidu Umar, prayed the court to allow the appeal and grant all reliefs sought, while Wole Olanipekun (SAN), representing Governor Aliyu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), urged the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.
He also implored the court to uphold the concurrent judgments of Sokoto State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which affirmed Aliyu’s election.
Other respondents in the appeal had, while adopting their briefs, prayed the court to dismiss the appeal challenging Aliyu’s declaration as bonafide winner of the March 18 contest.
On the other hand, Agbu of the PDP is having his election challenged by the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and standard-bearer, Prof Yahaya Sani.
The Court of Appeal, in a unanimous judgment, delivered by Justice Peter Affen, had held that the appellants were inconsistent in their petition against the outcome of the governorship election.
Affen submitted that while NNPP and Sani prayed for nullification of the poll on grounds of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, the duo, in another breath, prayed the court to pronounce them as winners on grounds of scoring majority of lawful votes.
The court, therefore, held that it was against the law for a litigant to blow hot and cold at the same time.
Thereafter, the appeal was termed incompetent and dismissed for lacking in merit after the court found out that the record of proceedings was not complete.
Both the tribunal and Appeal Court have returned Agba as governor.
