Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, yesterday, reserved judgment in the petition filed by Tonye Cole, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 18 governorship poll in Rivers.
Cole is challenging the victory of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The three-member tribunal, headed by Cletus Emifonye, adjourned the matter for judgment after parties adopted their final written addresses and presented their arguments for and against the petition.
While Fubara scored 302,614 votes to win the election, the APC candidate had 95,274 votes while Beatrice Itubo of the Labour Party (LP) scored 22,224 votes to come third.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the sitting yesterday, Tuduru Ede, 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 led evidence to that effect and we await the judgment of the tribunal,” he said.
Also speaking, Cole said he was trusting the tribunal and God that justice would be done in his petition.
“First of all, I am extremely grateful to the team of lawyers that stood their ground, refused to be intimidated, and put very accurate facts forward.
“I am very satisfied with what has been presented today as our final address.
“And I am trusting the tribunal and trusting my Lord, God Almighty, that justice will be done,” Cole said.
He said he was in the tribunal to ensure he took back the mandate that was stolen from him.
“We know exactly what happened on election day but that is very different from what we are doing in court.
“What we are here to do in court is to ensure we secure the mandate that was taken from us in March and I just want to assure everybody in Rivers that we will do everything within our power to ensure justice is done.
“We have presented the case, we are just waiting for the result. The judgment is just a few weeks away. So, let’s be patient, stand firm, we are fighting this all the way to the end,” he said.
Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who also attended the proceeding, however, refused to speak to newsmen.