Rivers Tribunal: Wike files 26 grounds of appeal

The Rivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja against the judgment of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which nullified his election.

Governor Wike, in a twenty-six grounds of appeal wants the Appellate Court to set aside the judgment of the Justice Mohammed Ambrosa-led tribunal, which annulled his election on the basis of non-usage of the card reader machine for the accreditation of voters.

Governor Wike is also asking the Appeal Court to dismiss the petition of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its governorship candidate in the said election, Dakuku Peterside, for lack of merit and jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for hearing by the Court of Appeal.

DAILY POST recalls that the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had nullified the election of Governor Nyesom Wike, noting that the petitioners’ witnesses testified truthfully without any falsehood in their demeanour.

It further held that evidence showed that the poll was not conducted in line with the regulations of the INEC, adding that the respondents could not run away from documents presented, even as the use of card readers was deliberately defied.

The Tribunal maintained that it was not impressed with the character of all the defence witnesses, who failed to read out documents presented by the petitioners during cross examination.

Asserting that the petitioner had proved their case, the Tribunal ruled that the election was not in compliance with the Electoral Act and as such Wike was not validly returned.

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