Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike was among top government officials that attended the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
In today’s proceeding, the tribunal judges reserved judgment in the petition filed by Tonye Cole, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 18 governorship poll in Rivers, against the election victory of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Following the adoption of the final written addresses of the parties as well as the presentation of their arguments for and against the petition on Wednesday, the three-member tribunal, headed by Justice Cletus Emifonye, adjourned the matter for judgment.
The day for the judgment was not disclosed.
The APC candidate, Cole challenged the victory of Governor Fubara, who was pronounced winner of the March 18 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having polled 302,614 votes as against 95,274 votes garnered by Cole.
Recall that APC had on May 22nd withdrawn its petition contesting the result of the election but its candidate, Cole insisted on seeing his petition through.
Cole, who was at the tribunal, expressed his confidence in the tribunal and God that justice would be done in his petition.
Governorship Candidate of the APC in the 2023 Gubernatorial Elections in Rivers State, Tonye Patrick Cole , Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike at the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal to observe proceedings of the court as they conclude their final adoptions today. pic.twitter.com/9IIMyZwSki
— Gist (@Gist_tweets) September 13, 2023
He said: “First of all, I am extremely grateful to the team of lawyers that stood their ground, refused to be intimidated, put very accurate facts forward.
“I am very satisfied with what has been presented today as our final address.
“And I am trusting the tribunal and trusting my Lord, God Almighty, that justice will be done”.
