The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has ordered a substituted service on the Delta State governor-elect under the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Sheriff Oborevwori, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ovie Augustine Omo-Agege, that of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru and their counterpart in Labour Party (LP), Ken Pela, in the suit challenging their eligibility to contest the just concluded March 18th governorship election in the State.
The Tribunal has also granted that the Defendants be served these petitions (substituted service) on the notice board of the tribunal which is now and has been pasted on the wall of the notice board of the tribunal in Asaba, the State capital.
The Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), His Excellency, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, who made this known on Wednesday April 19th 2023, shortly after the tribunal granted the application, said trial has commenced in ernest for them to show cause that those evidences as contained in those petitions are to the contrary
The order of the tribunal followed an ex parte application moved by Chief Chris Uche, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Gbagi’s counsel.
The senior lawyer had specifically sought the leave of the tribunal to serve the notice of substituted service on the walls of the notice board of the tribunal on the Defendants by substituted means after all efforts to serve them directly failed.
According to him, “the world over, criminals are begining to find their ways to a final hiding place.
“Delta, no less, has taken a fast queue as citizens of Delta State who have been wondering in the last 30 years of so-called experiment of democracy while has their case have been one of deceit, tenacity with lies and backwardness.
“The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, this morning granted the
governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), His Excellency, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi substitutional service.
“What has played out is that, in the last nine and 10 days, efforts to serve these petition on the runaway faceless candidates have resulted into so much futility in that they have been hiding.
“They have come up with various excuses as some of them are abroad, some of them disappeared into thin air.
“The tribunal faced with time issue has today, granted the application asking that these characters be served these petitions on the notice board of the tribunal.
“By singular arrangement, the trial in ernest ha has began for them to show cause that those evidences as contained in those petitions are to the contrary.
“There is no need to run, the adage that says ‘those who watch their hands clean, those who planned not to be criminals, will enjoy the benefit of it.
“It is a thing of joy that the tribunal has heeded substituted service which is now and has been pasted on the notice board of the tribunal in Asaba” he added.
