Sherrif Oborevwori, the speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, whose victory as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state was reaffirmed by the Supreme Court, Friday, has extended an olive branch to David Edebvie, his political opponent.
“Victory at Supreme Court is for all of us (Deltans)”, Oborevwori declared in an interview with newsmen in Asaba, shortly after a brief Thanksgiving Service held at Government House Chapel, Friday.
He urged members of the party on the other camp to join and work together for the 2023 general election as one political family.
“I don’t have any political enemy neither do I have time to make enemies,” said Oborevwori who had been accused by Edebvie of presenting forged academic certificates for the party’s gubernatorial elections.
Edebvie, who came second in the keenly contested gubernatorial primary election involving about 11 candidates mostly from the Delta Central District of the state, had dragged Oborevwori to a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and asked the court to declare him the winner as well as direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace Oborevwori’s name with that of his (Edebvie).
The High Court ruled in Edebvie’s favour and even directed Oborevwori to stop parading himself as the PDP governorship candidate for the 2023 elections.
Oborevwori appealed the judgment of the lower court and the appellate court set aside the ruling of the lower court and affirmed Oborevwori as the authentic gubernatorial candidate of the party.
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Not satisfied with the verdict of the Appeal Court, Edebvie headed to the apex court to set aside the ruling of the appellate court but the matter was finally judged against him in favour of Oborevwori.
At the Thanksgiving service held on Friday, at the Government House Chapel, Ifeanyi Okowa, the incumbent governor of the state, attributed the victory to the hand of the Almighty God.
While saying that God would not allow anybody who does not fear Him to be the governor of the state, Okowa advised the incoming government in the state to keep God’s altar at the Government House alive.
He congratulated Oborevwori and wife, and said: “The greatest joy I will want him (Oborevwori) to give me is that when he is sworn in as governor of the state, he should keep the altar alive.” He warned on the consequences of abandoning God.
Reacting to the apex court judgment, Delta PDP, said that the party was now more united and stronger to go into the 2023 general election.
A press statement signed by Ifeanyi Osuoza, the publicity secretary of the party, and made available to newsmen in Asaba, Friday, stated, “With the apex court confirming Oborevwori as the duly elected, substantive, and authentic governorship candidate of the party in the 2023 general elections, the matter is settled.
“The long-drawn litigation over the matter of the party’s authentic gubernatorial candidate had initially given the opposition false hope but with the judgment now delivered by the Supreme Court and the matter fully settled, the PDP is now much stronger and will be more united and formidable going into the 2023 elections.”
He described the judgment as victory for the Delta PDP family and appealed to all party faithful, especially Edevbie and his supporters to close ranks and march with full confidence and authority into the party’s campaigns, which he said had already commenced with vigour.
“Now that the legal fireworks are over and done with, we call on all our loyal, committed, and unwavering party members, to come together as one big united family, sheath their swords and let bygones be bygones.
“Our ultimate goal now is to win the 2023 general election in all positions and with everyone joining hands and all pulling in one definite, unwavering direction towards victory, we will be totally unbeatable and even more formidable, as the party of the people,” he stated.
