The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 dismissed Governor Nyesom Wike’s appeal which challenged the court’s right to relocate the case that annulled his election to Abuja.
The apex court stated in its ruling, that the case was transferred by the President to a tribunal sitting in Abuja due to the absence of a chief judge at the time.
The court also noted that they were concerned about the lives of the chairman of the INEC and other parties involved in the case due to the security challenges prevalent in the state, hence the transfer.
RELATED: Tribunal Annuls Wike’s Election, Orders Fresh Polls In Rivers
The five judges of the supreme court agreed with the judgement.
The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dakuku Peterside, had filed a petition challenging the election of Wike as Rivers State governor.
Following the petition, a tribunal held on Saturday, October 24 that the April 11 election that brought Wike as the governor be cancelled and re-run.
The tribunal’s judgement had elicited different reactions from Nigerians, with some challenging the rationale behind the judgement.
The governorship of Rivers State is an intensely contested seat largely because the oil rich state has a huge treasury. It is reported that the erstwhile governor of Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi singlehandedly funded the Buhari presidential campaign from funds looted from Rivers State treasury.
