Election Nullification, Judicial Gang-up Against Me – Wike @arthurrichard61

 

  Governor Nyesom Wike has described the nullification of his election by the Election Petition Tribunal as a gang up against him and the people of the state arguing that the the judiciary was setting a dangerous precedent in the country with the way it had gone about elections in Rivers state.

Special Adviser to the governor on media and publicity, Mr Opunabo Nko-Tariah in a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt alleged that there had been  effort to wrestle power from Governor Wike through the back door, adding that legal steps will be taken to defend the mandates of the people displayed in the April 11 general election.

“What is going on right now can best be described as judicial gang-up against Governor Wike, nay, the people of Rivers State. It is an affront on democracy and a blight disregard for the will of the people as evinced in the April 11 general elections.

“The courts are setting pernicious precedents by hinging their verdicts on inane points. Rivers people overwhelmingly gave their mandate to Governor Wike but a microscopic few want to wrest that mandate from him through the back door”.

Peterside condemns Wike’s attack on the Judiciary

Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the April election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has condemned the denigration of the judiciary by Governor Nyesom Wike, his agents and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Peterside who spoke in Abuja said the vilification of an important arm of government like the judiciary by desperate politicians portend grave danger for Nigeria and her budding democracy.

He described the disparagement and on-going war against the judiciary by Wike and the PDP as a dangerous example that must be checked quickly because of its calamitous consequences.

“The judiciary is a sacred and respected institution. Therefore, any person or persons who openly criticise judges and their rulings obviously have a sinister motive.

“However, it is gratifying to note that people are beginning to fully appreciate the character and temperament of the people we engaged during the last general elections in Rivers State. They are obviously finding it difficult to live under due process and the rule of law because they are used to impunity and violence, the two evils that were taken to new heights under the last government.

“If service is really the reason for being in politics, then it is tragic that these politicians are conducting themselves in such a spiteful manner. Nobody is above the law and when people openly and brazenly challenge institutions of state like the judiciary, it sends the wrong signal.

“The APC in Rivers State and its candidates took their losses at the various election petitions tribunals with equanimity, knowing full well that a window of opportunity still exists. Even when we felt very dissatisfied with the verdicts, we still did not abuse the judiciary or judges who handled our cases because we know the consequences of such defamatory actions.

“Wike and Rivers PDP are still living in the past but they should be reminded that Nigeria of today is a survivor because she defeated impunity and all the lawlessness of the last administration”.

Shame Of A Nation: Tribunal Judge Exposes All That Went Down At River State Election Tribunal @arthurrichard61

Justice Pindigi, the former chairman of the Rivers state governorship petitions tribunal, has recounted his experience at the tribunal.

He said, “Two weeks before I was removed as chairman of the Tribunal, I got a call from an unknown number, asking for an appointment for us to meet in Kaduna. And I asked, what for?

And the caller said, it’s on a need to know basis. That the details of the meeting would be made known to me in Kaduna. And I declined.

The next was a call from the DSS, saying they were all expecting me at meeting in Kaduna. And demanded why I turned down the appointment. And I said, I’m a chairman of a Tribunal, and do not have the luxury to attend meetings. Especially one without an agenda.

And the caller from DSS said there was a petition of fraud against me, in a case I handled in Kaduna in 2009. And I asked him to charge me accordingly, in line with the extant laws.

I was called again by another caller; who apologised to me, on behalf of the DSS. And offered to compensate me for the harassment I received from the DSS, and rescheduled another meeting, in Kaduna. And I declined again.

And the next was a letter removing me as the Chairman of the Rivers State governorship petitions tribunal, and replacing me with Justice Ambrosa. As is the practice, I offered to brief Justice Ambrosa, on the proceedings so far, but he said that won’t be necessary that he has been following the case.

Now, on the judgement delivered by Justice Ambrosa; it will be unethical and unprofessional to denigrate, or condemn the judgement of a contemporary colleague.

However, the Supreme Court has said, that for an election to be annulled, the petitioner has to prove that elections didn’t hold at the polling units, where the winner was returned elected. And I’m not sure that the Ambrosa’s judgement arrived through that route.”

INEC, Wike, PDP Ask Tribunal to Dismiss Dakuku’s Application to Scan Ballot Papers @arthurrichard61

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has urged the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja to dismiss an application filed by defeated Rivers State APC Governorship candidate, Mr Dakuku Peterside seeking an order of the tribunal to permit him scan and crop ballot papers used for the April 11 election.

Also, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and the P…eoples Democratic Party, PDP, asked the court to dismiss the application, saying it had made a similar ruling on June 11, 2015.

Mr Peterside through his counsel Chief Akin Olujimi had requested the tribunal to direct INEC to allow the APC, her forensic experts and her lawyers access to ballot papers used for the election for the purpose of photocopying, scanning and cropping of same.

Counsel to INEC, Chief KCO Njamanze while urging the tribunal to dismiss the application said the request is alien to the Electoral Act.

He argued that Section 151 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended ) permits only the inspection of election materials and nothing else.

According to him, the prayer of Mr Dakuku Peterside is not within the contemplation of the lawmakers who enacted the Electoral Act.

In his submission, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN ), counsel to Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike informed that the application brought by the defeated APC Governorship candidate is similar to the one ruled upon by the tribunal on June 19, 2015 allowing the APC to inspect election materials.

He urged the tribunal to abide by its earlier ruling on the matter, pointing out that it had done same in previous instances.

According to him, the ruling of June 19 has closed the issue of inspection, whether it is called scanning or cropping of ballot papers. He said that the tribunal in line with the law cannot revisit its earlier ruling.
He added that the issue of inspection is also before the Appeal Court for determination, making it unnecessary for the tribunal to attempt to tie the hands of the Appellate Court.

Counsel to the PDP, Chris Uche (SAN ) described the application by the APC as am abuse of court process, which should be dismissed.

The counsel to the APC, Akin Olujimi (SAN ) maintained that his motion is within the ambit of the law. He said that the defeated Rivers State APC Governorship candidate needs to have access to the original ballot papers , so that his forensic experts can analyse same.

The tribunal adjourned the case to Friday, August 28 for ruling.