SIR: It is pedestrian information that pursuant to the provisions of Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, issued Certificate of Return to Sheriff Oborevwori as Delta State governor-elect. The ‘ritual’ followed his electoral victory at the Saturday, March 18 gubernatorial poll in the state as conducted by INEC.
But, similar to every new invention which comes with opportunities and challenges, many of Oborevwori’s opponents particularly candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Labour Party (LP), in pursuit of their constitutional rights proceeded to the Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to challenge the result declared by INEC. These ‘exercise’ meandered through the tribunal to Court of Appeal down to the nation’s apex court, Supreme Court, where it recently upheld the election of Oborevwori as the duly elected governor of Delta State.
Undeniably, from the spontaneous and coordinated jubilation in Delta State that trailed the final judgment delivered by the Supreme Court, which of course, had laid to rest all tussle arising from the gubernatorial election, it will not be wrong to conclude that the nation’s apex court spoke the minds of Deltans.
Viewed broadly, particularly with the maturity with which the state governor’s frontline opponent and candidate of APC in the March 18 election, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, welcomed the decision of the court, it is evident that the judgment amply ushered into the political space called Delta State a victory that rendered further conflict and agitation unnecessary.
This specific thought came flooding following the news report that Omo-Agege in a statement personally signed by him shortly after the apex judgment, congratulated the state governor, noting that the unity, peace, and general good of Delta are bigger and more important than any individual or group interest. This, in my view, is legendary!
Aside from describing the Supreme Court as the final court of the land which all citizens are bound to accept and abide by its decisions even if they do not accord with their personal or collective expectations of justice, also impressive and exemplary about Omo Agege’s latest demonstration of spirit of sportsmanship was his call on his supporters to respect the court’s decision and give their best to promote peace everywhere in our beloved Delta State.
For me, there are lessons as well as reasons why Omo-Agege effort must be acknowledged and appreciated. Separate from the fact that he has set for upcoming politicians in the state a new standard and approach to reacting towards unpalatable political outcomes, there exists this time-honoured belief that in the world of politics, the generality of political gladiators do not have the means to act independently on their own initiatives; they lean on, and learn from others. If the personality they look up to is strong, fair, firm, convincing and with something positive to impact, then such learners imbibe positive lesson. But in a situation where there is no positive lesson to draw, the society is doomed.
Jerome-Mario Utomi is the programme coordinator (Media and Public Policy) at Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos.
