From Paul Osuyi, Asaba

Court of Appeal, Lagos, would, today, deliver its judgment on an appeal brought by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Ovie Omo-Agege.

Omo-Agege, immediate past deputy Senate president, filed the appeal to challenge the judgment of the state governorship election petition tribunal which upheld the election of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In his appeal, Omo-Agege is seeking to be declared winner of the March 18 governorship election on the grounds that he garnered majority of the lawful votes cast.

He argued that Oborevwori was returned as winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with excess votes that resulted from over-voting.

But the governor contended the appeal by his main challenger is lacking merit and urged the Court of Appeal to dismiss same.

Meanwhile, both camps of the PDP and APC have been upbeat, declaring, in separate fora that the judgment would be in their party’s favour. Supporters of the political bigwigs had also raised accusations and counter-accusations of alleged attempt to bribe the Court of Appeal panel.

However, a pressure group within the state PDP, Delta Political Vanguard (DPV) is apprehensive.

Secretary of the group, Ese Sanco, told newsmen in Asaba that the trend of judgment by the Court of Appeal across states of the federation tend to favour APC.

Sanco cited the cases of Zamfara, Kano and Plateau states where the Court of Appeal’s verdict sacked sitting governors of the opposition parties.

He added that the case of Nasarawa State where the judgment of the election tribunal sacked the sitting APC governor was reversed by the appellate court.

“I am indeed saddened by the worthless vituperation of Delta APC and the belief that Mr. President has promised to hand over Delta State to them through the court. If this is true then  Nigeria is finished.

“I am not here to doubt whatever they decides to say or believe because there are clearly ominous signs that threaten not just our faith in the electoral and judicial system but evincing that our democracy is compromised.

“It is also crystal clear that the ruling party will not desist from this inglorious ideology of ‘snatch, grab and run away with power’. as directed by Mr. President during the electioneering period,” Sanco said.