The Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has reserved judgment on the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole.
Cole is challenging the declaration of the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the winner of the March 18 Governorship election.
He had claimed that the Governor was not qualified at the time of election to run for Rivers State Governor. He invited witnesses to corroborate his claim.
The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Cletus Emifonye, adjourned the matter for judgment after the parties adopted their final written addresses and presented their arguments for and against the petition.
Meanwhile, the immediate past governor of River State and Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, who was present in court for the proceeding, however, refused to speak to journalists.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the sitting on Wednesday, Chief Tuduru Ede, SAN, the lead counsel to Cole, said about 40 witnesses were called and exhibits running into a thousand were tendered in the course of the case.
“The main plank of our case is that the 2nd respondent (Fubara), as at the time of the election, was not qualified to run.
“He didn’t resign from his post as Accountant-General and Permanent Secretary in Rivers State.
“We brought evidence to that effect, and we await the judgement of the tribunal,” he said.
