Tribunal Sacks 20 Rivers Lawmakers

The Rivers State legislative election petition tribunals
yesterday nullified the election of 20 out of the 32
members of the state House of Assembly.
The four tribunals, in separate judgments yesterday, upheld
the petitions by candidate of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) for the election.

They ordered rerun in the affected constituencies.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of the
House, who are affected by the tribunals’ verdicts, include
the Speaker Owaji Ibani from Andoni constituency.
The state’s governorship election petition tribunal last
Saturday, voided the election of Governor Nyesom Wike
and ordered a rerun.
Yesterday, the tribunals upheld the petitioners’ evidence,
particularly in relation to allegations of irregularities and
violence among other electoral malpractices.
The tribunals were of the view that the petitioners were, by
the evidence led, able to prove their case.
By yesterday’s development, the PDP is now left with just
11 seats in the House. There was only one member of the
APC in the House.
The affected lawmakers are, under the Electoral Act,
entitled, within 21 days, to challenge the nullification of the
elections at the appellate court.
The affected constituencies are GOKANA, ELEME, OBIO
AKPOR 1 and 2, Etche 2, Opobo/Nkoro and AKUKUTORU
2,
Others are ASARI TORU 1 and 2, BONNY, Tai, ONELGA 1,
DEGEMA, AHOADA East -1, KHANA-1 and 2 ,Ikwerre,
PHALGA-2, ANDONI.
The trbunals upheld elections in 11 constituencies won by
the PDP. They are Oyigbo, Etche 1, Omuma, Ogu-Bolo,
PHALGA 1 and 3,ONELG 2, ABUA-Odual, AHOADA West,
Ahoada East 2 and EMUOHA.
The petition challenging the election in Okrika
constituency, where the former First Lady, Patience
Jonathan hails from, was earlier dismissed.