Tribunal Reserves Ruling On Rivers Governorship Election

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja to dismiss the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Mr Dakuku Peterside, on the ground that it lacks merit and substance.

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, also called on the tribunal to dismiss the petition, saying the petitioner failed to prove the several allegations against his election on April 11, 2015.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Suleiman Ambrosa, after listening to the adoption of written addresses by counsels to the petitioners and the defendants adjourned the petition for judgment.

The defendants, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) and Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), while adopting their written addresses, claimed that the burden of proof rests on the petitioner who failed to discharge same before the tribunal.

The petitioner, Akin Olujimi (SAN), however, asked the tribunal to grant the reliefs sought in their petition, saying they have successfully proved their case.

With the adoption of written addresses by all the parties, the tribunal reserved judgment to a date to be announced to all the parties.