Kelechi Kas
The candidate of the Action Democratic Party, Victor Fingesi has said that the judgment from Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was indeed expected.
“It didn’t meet us as a surprise” he said.
The tribunal led by Justice Kingsley Ojiako, in its judgment ruled that the petitioners failed woefully to prove that the 2nd Respondent, Governor Nyesom Wike did not score the highest lawful votes.
It stressed that the petitioners failed to tender evidence of result sheets from polling units and wards to establish their claims, but instead relied on result sheets tendered by the Respondents.
Justice Ojiako ruled that the petitioners lacked the locus standi to file and maintain the petition, as facts contained in the paragraphs of the petition are inconsistent with each other.
The panel ruled that the petitioners failed woefully to prove beyond reasonable doubt the election was marred by wide spread of Violence, corrupt practices.
Justice Ojiako also dismissed the petitioners’ witnesses’ testimonies from collation agents drawn from Ahoada West, Abua Odua, Etche, Andoni, Khana, Omuma, Port Harcourt City, Bonny, ONELGA, Okrika, Ogubolo, Degema, Tai, Ikwerre local government areas for lack of credible evidence.
Justice Ojiako dismissed the petition for lacking in merit and ordered the petitioners to pay the sum of three hundred thousand (300,000) naira each to the Respondents in the matter
However, Fingesi who disagreed with the judgement said “What the Tribunal failed to achieve was to convince us and Rivers people, beyond reasonable doubt, that the last election wasn’t marred with irregularities (mostly violence).
” For this reason, our quest for justice remains untampered. We are resolute to seek for a satisfactory justice at any legal length. The truth may tarry but it will surely prevail.”
