Hearing of the main petition filed by the All
Progressives Congress and its governorship
candidate in the April 11, 2015 election in Rivers
State, Dakuku Peterside, challenging the election
of Governor Nyesom Wike, of the Peoples
Democratic Party, began on Thursday.
The APC and Peterside called their first set of
witnesses to testify before the Rivers State
Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja
on Thursday after about four months of battling
with series of interlocutory applications filed by
the respondents seeking the dismissal of their
petition at the preliminary stage.
The tribunal has a statutory limit of 180 days
within which it must hear and determine the
petition.
The hearing however began on Thursday under a
new chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice
Mohammed Ambrosa, who was by a letter dated
September 1, 2015, from the President of the
Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, asked
to replace the former chairman, Justce Mu’azu
Pindiga.
Justice Ambrosa, who presided over the Thursday’s
proceedings, earlier dismissed the protest by
Wike’s lawyer, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) and the
counsel for the PDP, Chief Chris Uche (SAN),
against the change of the chairman of the
tribunal.
Counsel for the Independent National Electoral
Commission, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), did not
protest against the change of the chairman of
the tribunal. INEC, Wike and the PDP are the
respondents to the petition.
Ukala, who had told the tribunal that he was
appearing in protest, gave the tribunal the
options of either adjourning the case to enable
his team to consult on what step to take on the
development or start the entire proceedings
afresh.
“We are worried because yesterday a number of
newspapers published a story that there were
subterranean moves by some powerful forces to
implement changes in the election tribunal and we
got here this morning to find out that the story
was not a mere hallucination but a reality that is
starring at us in the face,” Ukala had said.
Uche, who also toed the same line of argument,
said the sudden change of the chairman of the
tribunal could threaten “a fundamental pillar of
confidence in justice administration” which he said
was “rooted in transparency”.
In his response, lead counsel for the petitioners,
Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), said his team also
became aware of the change of the tribunal
chairman only when the panel members came into
the courtroom.
He however said he had no reason to protest
against the new head of the tribunal as the
petitioners had lost so much time.
Olujinmi said, “We also came in this morning to
find out that a new chairman has been posted to
head this tribunal.
“We on our side cannot question your obedience
of the order posting you to head this tribunal.”
In its ruling delivered by Justice Ambrosa, the
tribunal dismissed the protests, saying it could
not afford to waste more time.
He noted that by the 180 days limitation, the
tribunal must round off its sitting on October
30.
This development, he said, would leave his panel
with only about five days to prepare its judgment
after all parties must have concluded their cases.
“The petitioners are therefore called upon to open
their case,” the tribunal ordered.
Among the first set of the petitioners’ witnesses
called by Oljinmi on Thursday were APC collation
agents in some wards in the state, who testified
that elections did not hold in their various
domains because of the violence allegedly
orchestrated by armed thugs loyal to the PDP.
The witnesses included Jack Olugu, John Koottee
and Alabrabra Jappalli, who all testified that
elections did not hold in their respective domains.
The hearing continues Friday.
http://www.punchng.com/news/tribunal-dismisses-wikes-objection-to-new-chairman-begins-hearing/

It will be very sad if this Buhari administration start interfering with the courts and remove the confidence the last administration has been able to bring back in the electoral process. As usually the case, those who are supposed to speak up against this festering evil will pretend as if nothing is wrong because it is in their favor or againts persons they dont like but with time when the monster consolidates and turns against them they start running from pillar to post. It happend during Babangida, Abacha etc.

if the election is conducted times over in Rivers state, Wike go still win. Tribunal can never pronounce Peterside winner cos he never won, he is just fighting a lost battle.

WisdomCanada:
if the election is conducted times over in Rivers state, Wike go still win. Tribunal can never pronounce Peterside winner cos he never won, he is just fighting a lost battle.

Peterside has already won in APC newspapers and sahara distorters.

I will speak when NEPA give light

The right step in the right direction. The time of having a compromised judges overseeing is long gone. How can the chairman be buying time for the PDP all this while. The former chair has been delaying the process for too long. Let the justice prevail. Justice delay is justice denied. Never again shall we allowed misgruntle elements to pilot the affairs of this nation. God bless Nigeria. No more inpunity!

Waste of time and efforts, Wike remains the man to beat!.

Tranquill:
It will be very sad if this Buhari administration start interfering with the courts and remove the confidence the last administration has been able to bring back in the electoral process. As ususally the case, those who are supposed to speak up against this festering evil will pretend as if nothing is wrong because it is in their favor or againts persons they dont like but with time when the monster consolidates and turns against them they start running from pillar to post. It happend during Babangida, Abacha etc.

What is rather sad is the former chairman that have allowed himself to be dragged for four months without even starting the main issue.

WisdomCanada:
if the election is conducted times over in Rivers state, Wike go still win. Tribunal can never pronounce Peterside winner cos he never won, he is just fighting a lost battle.

Abeg help me tell them (APC goons) especially my niggur Demdem (a.k.a Demdemoron dekdek) I wondered why the guy stubborn like Emeka fan.....

Wike's time as the interrum governor is numbered! !!!

Demdem:


Tomafool, dont u get it. Gradually but surely Wike is loosing while Amaechi is having is way

Help me check your wristwatch there.....you will notice its 08:06 in the morning......that means it's daytime already.....so stop sleeping Wike shall be your Governor from now till 2023