The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division on Monday reserved judgement in four separate interlocutory appeals from the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Taraba State Governorship Election Petition tribunal. Both tribunals are sitting in Abuja. Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) had filed three of the appeals against the decision of the Rivers State tribunal to sit in Abuja instead of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Wike and the PDP who are the 2nd and 3rd respondents to the petition filed by All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate at the April 11 election also urged the court to set aside the permission granted the petitioners to inspect the election materials used during the election. Arguing the appeals yesterday, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), Wike’s counsel urged the Court of Appeal to hold that the tribunal has no power to sit in Abuja but in Rivers state where the disputed election was conducted. He also tried to convince the court that the tribunal erred in granting permission to inspect the election materials. Ife Dayo Adedipe who represented the PDP at the hearing canvassed Ukala’s views. Counsel to the petitioner, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN) vehemently opposed their arguments. He prayed the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit. He stated that the tribunal sitting in Abuja was for security reasons. Justice Abubakar Yahaya, after hearing both parties, told them a judgement date would be communicated.
