After stunning Nigerians with its judgement in the case involving Nyesom Wike and Dakuku Peterside, the Supreme Court has given reason for declaring Wike the duly elected governor.
Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike
The Supreme Court has explained the judgement declaring Nyesom Wike candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nyesom Wike as duly elected winner in the April 11, 2015 governorship elections in Rivers state.
The court explained that the judgment of the appeal court affirming the judgment of the election petition tribunal sacking Wike was miscarriage of justice because the governor did not get a fair hearing as the facts he presented were not considered by the tribunal.
It said the tribunal was improperly constituted, explaining that the chairman of the tribunal, Suleiman Ambursa, had passed the judgment in error because he did not sit over the initial hearing of the case.
Ambursa replaced Mu’azu Pindiga, who was removed in the middle of the hearing of the Rivers governorship election petitions.
It held that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dakuku Peterside, was unable to prove that an election did not take place in Rivers state on April 11. The supreme court explained that the burden of proof was on Peterside to prove that the election was marred by wanton violence, and that it did not take place.
The court therefore upturned the judgment of both the election petitions tribunal and the appeal court nullifying his victory at the April 11, 2015 poll.