By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Legit.ng
Published on 2024-01-24 14:06:45
The Supreme Court is set to deliver judgment on the Rivers State governorship election tussle. The case before the apex court is between Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 18 governorship election in Rivers state.
According to the BBC, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun-led five-man panel of the Supreme Court had last week reserved its judgment on the appeal filed by the APC and Cole. The parties involved in the matter were reportedly notified that the judgment will be delivered on Wednesday.
Tonye Cole is challenging the victory of Governor Fubara of the PDP on the ground that he was not qualified to contest the election. Cole alleges that Fubara was still serving as the state’s accountant general when he went into the poll and therefore was not qualified to contest the election.
Fubara polled 302,614 votes in the election to defeat his closest rival, Cole, who garnered 95,274 votes. Following the poll’s outcome, Cole approached the court alleging rigging and claimed that the governor was not qualified to contest the election. Cole asserts that Fubara’s action violated the Constitution because he was meant to resign before contesting.
Governor Fubara had previously defeated Cole at the Rivers state governorship election petition tribunal and the Court of Appeal. The parties in the case have been informed that the judgment will be delivered on Wednesday, January 31.
Meanwhile, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has received a warning to stop sponsoring or supporting his associates to insult his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. Samuel Nwanosike, the chairman of the Ikwerre LGA of the state, gave the warning in a viral video, adding that he would not hesitate to insult the governor.
As the tension rises and the judgment day approaches, there is palpable anxiety in Rivers state as residents await the Supreme Court’s ruling on the governorship election tussle between Governor Fubara and Tonye Cole of the APC. With the fate of the state’s leadership hanging in the balance, the judgment is anticipated to have significant implications for the political landscape in Rivers state.
Read the original article on Legit
