The Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Thursday reserved judgment in the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress and its candidate in the April 11 election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, challenging the election of Governor Nyesom Wike as winner of the poll.
The Justice Mohammed Ambrosa-led tribunal reserved judgment after parties to the petition adopted their final written addresses on Thursday.
Justice Ambrosa said the date for the delivering of the judgment would be communicated to parties when ready.
At the final hearing day of the petition on Thursday, lead counsel for the petitioner, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), urged the tribunal to nullify the election and order the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct fresh one.
Olujinmi maintained that the petitioners had been able to establish that the April 11 poll was conducted in substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The petitioners, who called 56 witnesses had tendered documentary evidence ranging from security to INEC reports, all of which indicated that the conduct of the April 11 election was characterised by fraud and widespread violence.
The respondents – INEC, Wike and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party – while adopting their separate addresses, argued that the petitioners failed to prove the case in line with standard set by the statutes and previous decisions of the Supreme Court.
Lawyers representing the respondent Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), for INEC; Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) for Wike and Wole Olanipekun for the PDP, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition on the grounds that the petitioners failed to discharge the onus of proof placed on them by the law.
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At the trial, the INEC called 24 witnesses, Wike called 16 but the PDP called none.
The petitioners called 56 witnesses, including some of its agents during the election and officers of the Nigerian Army, the police as well as the Department of State Security Services, who narrated how the conduct of the poll was characterised by irregularities and widespread violence.
One of the petitioners’ witnesses was the head of the Election and Party Monitoring Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Rivers State, Charles Okoye, who described the poll as militants’ terrorism and a sham which he said resulted in a mockery of democracy.
But INEC, the first respondent to the petition, through its counsel, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), called a total of 24 witnesses testifying that the April 11 governorship election in Rivers State was peacefully held and was credible.
Wike also defended the outcome of the poll through 16 witnesses who described the poll as free and fair.
Among the last set of witnesses called by Wike earlier on Monday was a former National Commissioner of INEC, Dr. Christopher Iyimoga, who dismissed the report on the conduct of the poll which was tendered by the petitioners’ witness, Okoye.
Iyimoga, had testified that contrary to the assertion of the petitioners’ witnesses, the April 11, 2015 poll was peacefully conducted, adding that Okoye lacked the right to make any report since he was only a travel guide to the INEC national commissioners who were given the mandate to monitor the conduct of the election in the state.
The petitioners conducted their case within 10days while each of the three respondents was alloted six days each.
The PDP only tendered documents ranging from newspaper publication to other electoral documents used for the conduct of the poll.


http://www.punchng.com/news/tribunal-reserves-judgment-in-petersides-petition-against-wike/

Hmmm

Reserve it till 2019 abeg






When will Ameachi returns Peterside money

ok

Let me wait for comments

If them like make dem reserve am for Deep Freezer, e no qonsign mii again, if PDP senators could show us what cowardice was all about today..

myqel:
Reserve it till 2019 abeg






When will Ameachi returns Peterside money

Good question

The fear of rerun was the main reason Wike opposed Amaechi's Ministerial nomination. Maybe he's feeling Amaechi would pay them back in their own coin during the rerun. No fear, parade has changed gear. You wouldn't be intimidated with the presence of khaki men. However, you would still lose to Peterside.

menix:
If them like make dem reserve am for Deep Freezer, e no qonsign mii again, if PDP senators could show us what cowardice was all about today..

Are you supporting PDP or Senators??

I'm not mocking you but why on earth did you repose your confidence in Naija Politicians?

You support a party or individual cos of personal conviction not cos of a group of people who are there to serve their's & immediate families' interest...

They couldn't ask Amaechi question cos they didn't want him to open any can of worms..

Jonah Jang took off & ran out immediately sen Alasoadura mentioned 16>19, he just put his folder under his armpit & hightailed it..

Don't sound defeated, they only love themselves.

Interesting...

let me hear what Amaechi will say first

Right!

Akwa Ibom judgment is just a sgnal to Wike that re-run is around the corner.

modath:


Are you supporting PDP or Senators??

I'm not mocking you but why on earth did you repose your confidence in Naija Politicians?

You support a party or individual cos of personal conviction not cos of a group of people who are there to serve their's & immediate families' interest...

They couldn't ask Amaechi question cos they didn't want him to open any can of worms..

Jonah Jang took off & ran out immediately sen Alasoadura mentioned 16>19, he just put his folder under his armpit & hightailed it..

Don't sound defeated, they only love themselves.

Insightful!!!

madridguy:
Auqat-Salat . BRB

Waqtu-salat = singular

Auqaat-salat = plural

with all due respect.

Shukra.

cola:


Waqtu-salat = singular

Auqaat-salat = plural

with all due respect.