Rivers: Wike heads to Supreme Court as Appeal Court insists on fresh poll in 90 days; We’re satisfied — APC

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has began proceedings to head to the Supreme Court to challenge the ruling by the Appeal Court in Abuja which, Wednesday, upheld the Rivers Elections Petitions Tribunal decision to nullify his election victory as well as ordering fresh poll in the state within 90 days.

Wike said in a statement, Wednesday, signed by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, that he disagreed with the Appeal Court judgment, hence his decision to exhaust his constitutional right by challenging the judgment at the apex court.

The governor who directed his lawyers to proceed to the apex court, however, called on all his supporters and the people of Rivers State to ‘remain calm and expressed the belief that justice would be done at the end.’

He assured the people of the state that he would use all constitutional processes to protect the mandate they freely bestowed on him, hence his decision to approach the Supreme Court for further adjudication.

The governor said he still remains the duly elected governor of Rivers State pending the determination of his appeal by the Supreme Court.

Wike assured the people of Rivers State that all ongoing development projects would continue while his administration would not relent in promoting the security of lives and property across the state.

However, also reacting, the All Progressives Congress in the state expressed satisfaction over the ruling of the Appeal Court, maintaining that the judiciary had once again shown that it remained the last hope for the common man.

Earlier, a three-man Court of Appeal panel sitting in Abuja, Wednesday, struck out the appeal filed by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike seeking a dismissal of the judgment of the Rivers State Election Petitions Tribunal which ordered fresh election to be conducted in the state within 90 days as well as nullifying his election as governor.

In a 110-page ruling delivered by Justice M.B. Dongban-Mensem, the Court ruled that the election of Nyesom Wike did not conform with the electoral act.

The Court has now ordered fresh election in 90 days.

In delivering a final ruling the Court of Appeal decided all the seven issues raised by Governor Wike against in favour of Dakuku Peterside and the All Progressives Congress party.

Recall that on Saturday, October 24, the tribunal had held that Wike was not duly elected governor of Rivers‎ state.

It ruled that a fresh election be held in the state within 90 days.

But Wike appealed against the judgment, insisting that he was duly elected governor of the state‎.

He asked the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal, arguing that‎ the lower court failed to consider the evidence – that a proper election took place in Rivers state on April 11 – tendered before it.

Wike had previously gone to the Supreme Court to challenge the jurisdiction of the tribunal, which sacked him. His main argument at the apex court was that the tribunal should have sat in Rivers state and not in Abuja.

But the Supreme Court dismissed his suit for lacking in merit‎, ruling that the tribunal, owing to security reasons, was right to have relocated to Abuja to sit in judgment on the petition of Dakuku Peterside, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11 governorship election in Rivers state.