By Austin Ogwuda
Asaba— GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan, has tendered electoral materials in defence against the petition challenging his election by Chief Great Ogboru, Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, governorship candidate during the April 26 polls.

As the materials from Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, came in, they were, respectively, marked as exhibits by the tribunal.

The sitting, as usual, was held amidst tight security.

The tribunal had, during the tenure of the former chairman, Justice Ayo Abisoye, consolidated the separate applications by Uduaghan and Ogbo-ru, as well as their political parties, PDP, and DPP, and subpoenaed INEC.

Ogboru had earlier fielded his witnesses, alleging that the election was not won by Governor Uduaghan.

Meanwhile, Chairman of DPP, Chief Tony Ezeagwu, whose party was challenging the election of Uduaghan, had said his party was not in any way perturbed by the sudden removal of the chairman of the Governorship Tribunal, Justice Abisoye.

He said: “My party is not in any way jittery over the removal of the tribunal chairman. We are confi-dent because we have the facts to convince the tribunal that we have a good case no matter who the chairman is. It is glaring and we are going to slug it out at the tribunal.”

On his part, state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Ogeah, said: “That (removal) is the internal affairs of the judiciary.

“Being a very senior member of that profe-ssion, I know that as a tradition, we will do all we can to enhance the independence of that critical arm of government by always giving the benefit of doubt to postings made therein no matter what side of the political divide you belong.”