The Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, then nation’s capital, yesterday reserved judgment in the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the April 11 election, Dakuku Peterside, challenging the declaration of Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the election.
Tribunal Chairman, Justice Mohammed Ambrosa, announced the reservation of the verdict after the parties adopted their final written addresses.
The tribunal said it would communicate the judgment day to the parties.
Adopting his clients’ final address, the petitioners’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), urged the tribunal to resolve the dispute in favour of his clients, cancel the election and order the conduct a fresh poll.
The lawyer averred that the petitioners, through its witnesses and exhibits tendered, established that the election was marred by irregularities and conducted in substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The petitioners, who were given 10 days to present their case, called 56 witnesses and tendered documentary evidence, including reports by security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to support their claim that the election was characterised by fraud and widespread violence.
Lawyers to INEC, Wike and PDP (the respondents) also adopted their addresses yesterday.
They said the petitioners failed to prove their allegation that the election was not conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act.
They urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition on the ground that the petitioners failed to discharge the onus of proof on them by the law.
During trial, INEC and Wike called 16 witnesses each in six days allocated to of the respondents, to present its case; the PDP failed to call any witness, but tendered documents.
Justice Ambrosa, on October 13, when the last respondent (PDP) closed its case, said the tribunal had before October 29 to deliver judgment in the petition.
The tribunal chairman gave the petitioners three days, and each of the respondents four days, to prepare and file their final written addresses.
He added that the 180 days, within which the tribunal should determine the petition, would lapse on October 29.