The election of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has been voided by the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja on Saturday
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has consequently been ordered to conduct fresh governorship elections in the state.
Delivering the judgment, chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Suleiman Ambrosa, in his ruling said, “We hereby order INEC to conduct fresh elections”.
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dakuku Peterside, had filed a petition on May 3, urging the Tribunal to nullify the April 28 governorship election in all the 23 Local Government Areas of the state and to order fresh election.
Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike, through his counsels, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) and Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), had also asked the Tribunal to dismiss the petition on the ground that it lacks merit.
The defendants further argued that the burden of proof rests on the petitioner who failed to discharge same before the tribunal.
On his part, counsel to the petitioner, Akin Olujimi (SAN), prayed the tribunal to grant the reliefs sought in their petition having successfully proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.