President of court of appeal sacks judges for Delta tribunal over corruption, appoints new judges

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, has sacked and replaced the five-man panel of judges handling the Delta State governorship election petition at the Court of Appeal, in Benin city following cases of alleged corruption, compromise, and abuse of office leveled against the judges.

The governorship candidates of the APC, Emerhor Otega and that of Labour Party, Great Ogboru, dragged the PDP candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to the Appeal Court, urging it to set aside the decision of the Justice N.U. Gummi led Election Tribunal, which declared Okowa winner of the election.

Names of the sacked "corrupt and compromised" judges are
Justice J.O. Bada, Justice P.M. Ekpe, Justice H.A. Barka, Justice M.N. Oniyiangi, and Justice U.A. Ogakwu. The names of the new judges included Justice Mrs Uwani Abba-Aji (Chairman), Justice Tom Yakubu, Justice Mhd Danjuma, Justice I.O. Akeju, and Justice (Mrs) Bolaji-Yusuf.

According to Court of Appeal sources who confided in Sahara Reporters, the judges were sacked last week and the newly appointed judges to handle the governorship appeal case resumed office last Monday.

It was learnt that judgement for the Delta State governorship case has been reserved for this week on Tuesday or Wednesday.

At the time posting, tension is said to have gripped the camp of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the PDP.