Wike still in charge, says Rivers PDP

The Rivers state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says despite the ruling of the election tribunal Nyesom Wike still remains the governor of the state.

In its ruling on Saturday, the tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election in the state.

But Felix Obuah, chairman of the party in Rivers, described the ruling as “a travesty of justice and rape on democracy”.

“There is no other reason why the tribunal hurriedly delivered the contraption it called judgment in less than 24 hours after adopting the written addresses on a matter that lasted over four months than to pre-empt the judgment of the Supreme Court against the tribunal by the PDP which comes up next week Tuesday,” Obuah said in a statement.

“The good thing is that by the hurried judgment, the tribunal chairman has exposed his partiality and shot himself in the leg by defying all legal procedures and going ahead to deliver judgment on the APC petition when there is an impending matter hinging on the appeal at the Supreme Court just as he refused to vacate his seat as chairman of the election petitions tribunal for the state governorship election petitions despite PDP’s resentment on questions of integrity and impartiality.

“Men have today Saturday, October 24, 2015 after being compromised, served their immoral judgment, God would soon give justice in the governorship election in Rivers state.

“Subsection 1 of the electoral act 2010 guarantees an elected governor to stay in office and continue to execute his duties as the state chief executive as long as a notice of appeal is given against the judgment within 21 day from the date of the judgment notwithstanding the decision of the election tribunal.”