Wike Closes Defence as PDP Set to Defend Mandate

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

Wike, whose election is being challenged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, yesterday closed his defence before the state Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal after calling 24 witnesses.

His party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will however open its defence tomorrow as all parties agreed to allow the three-member panel take a day rest.

There was a heavy presence of armed security operatives at the tribunal on Tuesday as some speculated that the governor would be at the sitting.

However, when sitting commenced, Wike’s team of lawyers announced that the governor would close his defence having called enough witnesses in support of his defence that election took place in the state on April 11, 2015.
In his petition,  Peterside had alleged  that there was no election in the state on 11 April 2015.

He said: “INEC  merely allocated votes to Wike and declared him winner.”  However, both INEC and Wike disagreed with Peterside.

They both stated that election took place. INEC also contradicted Peterside as the electoral umpire said it held election in Rivers State.

Before closing his case,  Wike through his lawyer,  Emmanuel Ukala (SAN),
tendered newspapers clippings wherein the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega declared  that  the  Rivers State Governorship Election was free, fair and credible and conducted in line with INEC guidelines and the Electoral Act.

The lawyer said  the documents  would  assist the tribunal  resolve the  matter before  it.

The  lawyer also  tendered his certificate of return, APC agents list, organogram of INEC in Rivers State and Rivers State APC notice of primaries to  INEC.

He also tendered an INEC Internal Memo in Rivers State  indicating that Mr. Charles Okoye who was APC’s  witness from INEC,  was posted to work  in one local  government area.

He further  tendered earlier reports from the  said Charles Okoye to the Rivers State INEC Administrative Secretary wherein he was directed not to send a report to Abuja  on  the governorship election.

Counsel to the Rivers State APC, Akin Olujimi, SAN,  objected to the  admissibility of the documents,  but said he would give  his reasons during his final  address.

In his ruling, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Suleiman Ambrosa, admitted  the documents  in evidence. The governor also tendered other   documents  to prove  that  he won the April 11 governorship election.

The tribunal  adjourned sitting to tomorrow for Rivers State PDP  to open her defence  as third respondent in the petition.