PDP Chieftain Extols Tribunal Verdict, Asserts Lack of Merit in Opposition’s Claims
ASABA/Nigeria: Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2023 general elections in Delta State, has extended his warm congratulations to Governor Sheriff Francis Oborevwori and the PDP for their resounding triumphs at the Tribunal last Friday. He asserted that the respondents had diligently worked to secure victory in the state’s gubernatorial election.
In a statement made available to the press in Asaba on Saturday, Oghenesivbe lauded the tribunal verdict, asserting that the numerous petitions filed by the gubernatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Augustine Ovie Omo Agege, the Social Democratic Party (SDP)’s Kenneth Gbagi, Esq, and Ken Pela of the Labour Party (LP) were devoid of credible evidential proof and legal substance, rendering them lacking in merit.
He pointed out that the petitioners heavily relied on hearsay evidence, procured irrelevant witnesses, unsubstantiated allegations, and inadmissible wild speculations, all in the hope that the Tribunal would accept their “tales by moonlight” to validate their frivolous cases. Oghenesivbe emphasized that verifiable and credible evidence remained the cornerstone of criminal litigation, necessary to establish criminal allegations beyond a reasonable doubt at the Tribunal, as well as in all post-election legal disputes.
Oghenesivbe, who previously served as Executive Assistant on Communications in Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa’s administration, further argued that Senator Agege and Olorogun Gbagi, both senior lawyers, should have recognized that party agents, collation officers, and others responsible for overseeing the voting process at various units were the most valid witnesses in this matter.
He noted that the petitioners were unable to summon such witnesses because there was no evidence of overvoting, as evidenced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) BIVAS computations, which were confirmed and acknowledged by all party agents before relevant INEC forms were signed at the polling units and collation centers.
Oghenesivbe asserted that while the PDP and its gubernatorial candidate, Elder Oborevwori, were actively campaigning from ward to ward and unit to unit, the petitioners were preoccupied with internal party conflicts, divisive politics, and inadequate engagement with the electorate. He stated that the APC gubernatorial candidate had placed substantial reliance on former President Mohammadu Buhari and the federal government, but their efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful.
“The Tribunal verdict is unequivocal and has been praised by those who value transparency in post-election legal disputes. The judgment is so clear that even a layman can easily comprehend it. This is a case of ‘res ipsa loquitur,’ meaning the facts speak for themselves,” Oghenesivbe commented.
“The Tribunal cannot conjure evidence and witnesses for the petitioners to secure their cases. The burden of proof squarely rests on those who alleged overvoting and result falsification in some polling units, but they failed to substantiate their claims, as determined by the Tribunal.
“Therefore, the petitioners have failed miserably to prove their criminal allegations against the respondents beyond a reasonable doubt. It is abundantly clear that their efforts will not succeed at the Appellate Courts, no matter how hard they may try.
“The Tribunal will not rely on hearsay witnesses, wild speculations, or mere imaginative figures presented by the petitioners. They were expected to present factual and credible evidence, call genuine witnesses, especially party agents and those who witnessed the events at the contested polling units. However, they could not do so because the election was conducted transparently, fairly, and without overvoting or result falsification.
“There is nothing the Tribunal can do to assist the petitioners, namely Agege, Gbagi, and Pela. Their case was doomed from the start. Governor Oborevwori and the PDP deserve their victories. I commend the Justices of the Tribunal for delivering a sound judgment.
“My entire family and I extend our congratulations to Governor Oborevwori and the Delta PDP. I urge the petitioners, Senator Agege, Olorogun Gbagi, and Ken Pela, to congratulate the winners and utilize the financial resources allocated for pursuing their cases in the Appellate Courts to empower their political loyalists, impoverished individuals in their respective communities, and their families,” Oghenesivbe declared.
