From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
AFTER marathon court sessions, the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja has reserved judgment in the petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside against the election of Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The tribunal took the decision yesterday after the adoption of final ad- dresses by counsel to par- ties named in the appeal.
Wike and the PDP urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit and substance, the petitioners, on their part, urged the tribunal to grant the reliefs sought in their petition on merit.
On its part, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition declaring that the burden of proof rests with the petitioner, who failed to discharge the same before the court.
In his submission, counsel to the PDP, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) noted that the petition
is incompetent, pointing out that the tribunal has no jurisdiction to amend APC’s petition, especially the reliefs already abandoned by the political party.
He stated that whilst the petitioner alleged several cases of violence and abduction of voters, the petitioner failed to lead any in that direction or call any witness to prove his claim.
INEC’s counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) said soldiers, mobile policemen and DSS operatives invited by the APC gave generic and contradictory evidence which have no relevance in relation to voting at the polling units, hence their testimonies were unreliable.
But making his submission, counsel to Rivers State APC, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), urged the tribunal to grant his petition, pointing out that the burden of proof rests with the respondents.
He said though the card readers do not replace the voter’s registers, they are vital to credible accreditation, adding that the petitioners have provided enough and sufficient materials before the tribunal that the election was marred by irregularities.