Wike storms court as Rivers tribunal reserves judgment in petition against Fubara’s election victory

The Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has reserved judgment on the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole against Governor Siminalayi Fubara's election victory.

Cole is challenging the victory of Fubara, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Saturday, March 18 governorship election.

The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Cletus Emifonye, on Wednesday, September 13, adjourned the matter for judgment, after the parties adopted their final written addresses and presented their arguments for and against the petition, Channels TV reported.

Wike was present in court

Aside from Cole, the immediate past governor of River State and minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, was present in court for the day’s proceeding, The Nation report added.

However, Wike refused to speak to journalists about the outcome of the day’s proceedings. Cole had called over 40 witnesses to support his claim that Fubara was not qualified at the time of the election to run for Rivers State governor.

Tribunal sacks Labour Party lawmaker in Enugu

In another report, the National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu State, on Wednesday, September 13, voided the declaration of Honourable Bright Ngene of the Labour Party as the House of Assembly member representing Enugu South urban constituency.

In voiding the election, the three-man panel headed by A. M. Abubakar ordered a rerun election in the Enugu South Urban constituency within 90 days.

The tribunal in its ruling said it was based on the grounds that the number of votes credited to the said winner of the election, was fewer than the number of disenfranchised voters in the constituency.