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TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal has dismissed the petition filed by the Rivers State Labour Party governorship candidate, Chief Isaac Wonwu, against the victory Governor Nyesom Wike.
Chairman of the tribunal, Justice O.K Kaigama, dismissed the petition, following a motion for withdrawal, moved by counsel for Chief Wonwu, Mr. Uche Ulemene.
Justice Kaigama also stated that the Labour Party governorship candidate withdrew the petition on his own volition and that there were no illegal agreements that necessitated the withdrawal.
Counsel for the Labour Party governorship candidate sought the leave of the tribunal to withdraw the petition and strike out same.
He informed the tribunal that his application to withdraw the petition was accompanied by a notice of consent to withdraw, marked as Exhibit A.
He added that also annexed was an affidavit against illegal terms of withdrawal.
Counsel to Governor Wike, M.S Agwu, said that they were not opposed to the withdrawal. He announced that he filed an affidavit against any illegal terms of withdrawal, noting that the petitioner withdrew the petition on his own volition.
The tribunal dismissed the LP petition EPT/RS/GOV/O4/2019, saying that its governorship candidate did that in the interest of the state.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abdulhakeem Mustapha, informed the tribunal that INEC filed a preliminary objection to the petition. He stated that INEC was not opposing the application for withdrawal.
He announced that INEC filed a preliminary objection because the petition lacked merit and urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition.
Governor Wike emerged victorious at the 2019 governorship election, polling 886,264. The African Action Congress (AAC) candidate scored 173,859 to emerge second.
