…Governor Wike, INEC, PDP
urge Rivers Tribunal to uphold the March 9 Rivers State Governorship Election
…Tribunal reserves
judgment
BY Our Reporter
The African Action Congress (AAC) has asked the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by the defeated African Action Congress (AAC) Governorship Candidate, Engr. Biokpomabo Awara against the election of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for lacking in merit.
The Tribunal
Chairman, Justice Kingsley Orjiako announced that the Tribunal has reserved judgment
following the adoption of final written addresses by all the parties in the
case.
The AAC
sponsored the defeated Governorship Candidate of AAC, Engr. Biokpomabo Awara
during the March 9, 2019.
Counsel to the AAC, Henry Bello while adopting the party’s final written address on Wednesday urged the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal to place value on the video clip tendered which showed the declaration of Governor Wike as the winner of the March 9, 2019 Governorship election after due Collation of Results.
The AAC
declared that their decision to call for the dismissal of the petition by
Biokpomabo Awara was borne out of the party’s commitment to the truth.
“A
lawyer should not promote a case which to his knowledge is false. Every iota of
their case is made in falsehood. Therefore, Counsel for the party presenting
the truth before the tribunal deserves commendation.
“My
Lord, I want the court to rely eminently on the evidence of PW21. His evidence
and the video played lay credence to PW21 evidence.
I, Henry
Bello on behalf of the 2nd respondent (AAC) hereby consent to the dismissal of
this petition.”
Submitting
the PDP’s Final Written Address, Ahmed Raji (SAN) urged the Tribunal to dismiss
the petition, considering the prayers by the 2nd Petitioner (AAC) that the
petition be dismissed.
He submitted
that the witnesses of the petitioners noted that election was peaceful in the
state.
“In
reaction to the petitioner response dated September 27, 2019, I rely on the due
process and urged the court to dismiss the petition. In the sense that the 2nd
petitioner clearly considered, admitted that the petition should be dismissed.
“Not a
single witness of the petitioner was called from the polling unit, it was either
ward agent or state agent. They said the election was peaceful, free and fair.
“The
first petitioner has not presented to the court any other separate result other
than the result presented by the 1st respondent (INEC)”.
He added:
“We seek the court to dismiss the petition which is from a disunited
house, even from the onset. We will not want a disunited house to come and
cause commotion in the state.”
In his final
written address, Governor Wike through his counsel, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN)
adopted the position of the PDP.
He added
that petitioner called witnesses that contradicted his petition, therefore
there should be no basis to further debate the matter.
“Although
the petitioner purport to challenge the governorship election, evidence of the
petitioner’s witnesses PW21 and PW22 and video clip confirmed the victory of
Governor Nyesom Wike in the election.
“It is
important to state that the PW21 is the state collation of both petitioners
Even though
the 1st petitioner claimed the PW21 is an imposter, he never produced any other
that stood in his place.
The
political party appoints the collation agent and there was no challenge by the
party that he was the state collation agent.
“PW21
made it clear that the 2nd petitioner actually accepted the result as was
signed by the party agent. When a political party signs a result, it is not
legal to bring such result as a matter in court.
“They
have shown that there is no basis to go further with the petition. There is no
law for a party calling witnesses that contradict themselves or the
petition.”
The
Independent National Electoral Commission also urged the Tribunal to dismiss
the petition.
Counsel to
the Independent National Electoral Commission, Steve Adehie (SAN) said
“We
adopt all the preliminary arguments and urge the Tribunal to dismiss the
petition.
“We
adopt the evidence of the PDP, Governor Wike and our own argument. It is true
we did not call witnesses but we led evidence through the witnesses. All the
witnesses that testified admitted that they have no problem with the results as
declared by INEC. As an exhibit Q1
tendered PW20 result sheets and PW21 also confirmed the final results by INEC.
If all the witnesses admitted the results as declared by INEC then why are we here. This tells that they have no case to protest. We are urging this court to dismiss this case with substantial cost”.
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But, the
Defeated AAC Governorship Candidate, Engr. Biokpomabo Awara urged the Tribunal
to grant his reliefs.
Counsel to
Biokpomabo Awara, Emenike Ebete court to nullify the election and order for
rerun.
The Tribunal
Chairman, Justice Orjiako said that all the parties would be informed when the
judgment would be delivered.
