By CHIDI NKWOPARA
OWERRI- The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Owerri, Wednesday, admitted several exhibits tendered by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as evidence that the April 26, 2011, election was actually held in the state.

The PDP dragged Governor Rochas Okorocha, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, before the tribunal, challenging the legality of the supplementary governorship poll of May 6, 2011.

The party, through its counsel, Chief Awa U. Kalu (SAN), tendered result sheets from 12 electoral wards of Mbaitoli Local Government Area and four wards from Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area.

Kalu told the tribunal that “contrary to INEC’s claim that there was no election in Mbaitoli, the governorship election also took place in the local government area as scheduled.”

However, counsel to APGA and INEC, Niyi Akintola (SAN) and Okey Amaechi (SAN) respectively, objected to the contents of the exhibits sought to be tendered.

The PDP is also insisting that having won the April 26 gubernatorial election in the state, the May 6 supplementary election was unconstitutional and urged the tribunal to declare PDP the winner of the April 26, governorship election in the state.