WIKE TRIUMPHS IN RIVERS, SUPREME COURT SAVES PDP

The outcome of the April 11, 2015 governorship election that brought Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to power has been upheld by the Supreme Court.

The apex court in a unanimous judgment restored the declaration of Wike as the valid winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Justice Kekere-Ekun, who delivered the lead verdict, held that three separate appeals filed by Wike, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and INEC, were meritorious.

The Court of Appeal had on December 16 affirmed the judgment of the Rivers Governorship Election Tribunal.

The appeal court had ruled that Mr. Wike was not validly elected.

The Rivers Tribunal had earlier on October 24 nullified Mr. Wike’s election.

The tribunal, which delivered its ruling in Abuja, also ordered that a fresh governorship election be conducted in the state.

After the tribunal’s ruling, the governor headed to the Court of Appeal, saying the judgment was untenable.

The petition challenging the election of Mr. Wike as Rivers State Governor was filed by Dakuku Peterside, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the election.

The Rivers governorship election, which was criticised by local and international observers, witnessed the largest amount of violence both in its build-up and after the election.