I will appeal tribunal’s judgement, says Wike

Nyesom Wike, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 11 Rivers state governorship election, says he will appeal Saturday’s judgment of the election petition tribunal nullifying his election.

Addressing journalists after the judgment, Chris Uche (SAN), counsel to PDP, declared that Wike remains governor until the appeal processes are exhausted.

He said the nature of the judgment delivered by Justice Ambrousa-led Tribunal makes appeal vital, as the new position adopted by the tribunal must be tested in the interest of justice.

Uche noted that the tribunal’s reliance on card reader accreditation to nullify the governorship election, when evidence was led by both the respondents and the petitioners that both card reader and manual accreditation were used for the election, requires testing at the court of appeal.

He expressed shock that less than 24 hours after lawyers on all sides submitted nine written addresses and documents, the tribunal sent notice that judgment would be delivered on Saturday morning.

He said the tribunal was aware that the supreme court judgment on the jurisdiction of the tribunal outside of Rivers state would be delivered on Tuesday. He added that the tribunal had seven days to deliver its judgment, wondering why it chose to do so in less than two days.

“This is the first tier in the judicial ladder. We have instructions, becaus‎e this judgment has raised several issues that must be tested on appeal. We still have the court of appeal; we still have the supreme court,” he said.

“We will all remember that even the supreme court has picked next Tuesday to deliver judgment on the jurisdiction of this same tribunal. Suddenly, the date was brought forward to deliver this judgment while the tribunal still had seven days to the expiration of the petition.

“By virtue of section 143 of the electoral act, our candidate, the governor, will remain in office until this matter has gone the whole hog to the supreme court.

“This judgment is one we must test on appeal. We have hope; we will contend with it seriously.”