The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal that was filed before it by Governor Nyesom Wike, challenging the jurisdiction of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that on Saturday, annulled the April 11 gubernatorial poll that brought him to power.
In their judgment this morning, a seven-man panel of Justices of the apex court led by Justice John Fabiyi, held that the panel that sacked Wike was properly constituted.
The apex court maintained that the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Zulkachuwa acted within her powers when she relocated the tribunal from Rivers State to Abuja.
According to Justice Amiru Sanusi who read the lead judgment, “evidence abound that there was serious security challenges prevailing in Rivers State which therefore called for the doctrine of necessity to be adopted”.
The apex court held that the relocation of the tribunal to Abuja was to safeguard the lives of the Chairman and members of the panel that heard the petition that was lodged against Wike by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.
“I am unable to see any merit in this appeal and I hereby dismiss it without any order as to cost”, Justice Sanusi held.
All the other members of the apex court panel also concurred with the lead verdict.
Meanwhile, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has summoned an emergency meeting of the party’s national caucus to discuss the sacking of the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, by the state election petitions tribunal.
The party said it was worried by the loss it had suffered at the tribunals in the last few days.
Apart from Wike, the Election Petitions Tribunal had also ordered the rerun of governorship election in 18 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State.
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, is a member of the opposition party, the PDP.
