The Supreme Court has put an end to the prolonged legal battle between Kenneth Gbagi, the Delta State governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
The apex court firmly labeled Gbagi’s appeal as a “waste of time” and lacking any practical significance, ultimately bringing the matter to a close.
The court’s decision stemmed from Gbagi’s persistent attempts to introduce fresh evidence during the trial, which was rejected by the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and subsequently by the Court of Appeal.
Despite the rejections, Gbagi sought to pursue the case further, leading to the recent dismissal of his appeal by the Supreme Court.
Gbagi’s claims of new evidence and the supposed disqualification of Governor Oborevwori were ultimately deemed baseless by the tribunal, which had already concluded that Gbagi’s assertions were unfounded.
The legal representatives of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), including Ekeme Ohwovoriole, SAN, and Ayo Asala, SAN, vehemently opposed Gbagi’s appeal, stressing the dissolution of the tribunal and the expiration of the allotted 180 days for hearing the petition.
The Supreme Court’s unanimous judgment, delivered by Justice John Inyang Okoro, firmly established the futility of Gbagi’s appeal, emphasizing the expiration of the time frame for the case and the dissolution of the tribunal, rendering the entire exercise nonviable.
