Delta: “We Did Not Bribe Tribunal With N3bn to Obtain Victory”- PDP

By Amos Igbebe
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta, Thursday, insisted that it never bribed the tribunal judges with N3 billion as alleged by the state leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The APC had said the tribunal judges were compromised by the PDP to the tune of N3bn, hence the miscarriage of justice by the Justice Nasiru Gunmi led governorship election petition tribunal in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The APC maintained that considering all evidences presented at the tribunal, it had the premonition of victory but with the alleged N3bn bribery scandal, the judges sold their conscience and denied the APC of its supposed victory.
But Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Deinghan Macaulay, in his reaction, said the allegation was frivolous, unfounded and has no evidence to prove that the PDP compromised the integrity of the three man panel.
He said it was unfair of the APC, which he described as a drowning party, to raise allegations against his party as the APC had been in slumber and has refused to wake up from sleep.
The Publicity Secretary said the witnesses APC and Labour Party called gave evidence in favour of PDP rather than giving evidence in favour of their sponsors.
Macaulay, who frowned at the action of the APC, said it would pay the APC more if they begin preparation for the 2019 governorship election than carrying allegation which no proof.
He particularly said Labour Party that could not win a single local government out of the 25 in the state has no gut to challenge the victory of the PDP as the constitution requires a party to win at least 2/3 majority of the constituency before being declared winner of an election.
He blasted the boastful APC for its inability to produce a minister in the yet to be constituted cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying “if APC is a party, was it able to produce one minister from the state? The minister from Delta, Ibe Kachikwu, is he from APC? Why are they wasting their time? They should go and reorganize themselves for 2019.
“So, the allegation of N3bn bribe to tribunal judges is frivolous, unfounded and not in the interest of Deltans. The people of Delta are rejoicing that the tribunal reaffirmed the mandate they gave to Okowa on the April 11 general elections.”.