By Emma Amaize, Austin Ogwuda & Festus Ahon
ASABA — THE Delta State Governorship Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, yesterday, dismissed an application by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan praying the tribunal to dismiss Chief Great Ogboru’s petition, challenging his (Uduaghan) declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as winner of the April 26 governorship election in the state.

The tribunal, in its ruling, held that it was persuaded more by the fact that Ogboru never at any time, abandoned his petition before the tribunal.

The tribunal said that Ogboru and DPP, had, in fact, complied with the statutory steps for the pre-hearing of the petition.
The tribunal, after dismissing Uduaghan’s application, granted Ogboru’s application which had sought to issue pre-hearing notice on parties in the case.

The tribunal said: “All submissions made against the application by Uduaghan go to no issue in view of the above ruling of the tribunal. The petitioner’s (Ogboru) motion is accordingly granted and we hereby set this petition down for pre-hearing to commence on July 27.”