APC rejects tribunal ruling, to meet PDP at Appeal court

The All Progressives’ Congress, APC in Delta state has rejected the tribunal judgment on the state’s gubernatorial poll petitions, describing the ruling as one illegally procured.

In a statement signed by its state chairman, Prophet Jones Ode Erue, and circulated to journalists in Warri, the APC expressed surprise that despite glaring violations of the electoral process by the defendants, the tribunal still gave the PDP victory.

The tribunal had last week ruled in favour of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

APC which had petitioned the tribunal, alongside its governorship candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, further regarded the ruling as an injustice and expressed optimism that the court of appeal would do justice to the petition.

Citing some conclusions of the tribunal, as quoted from the certified true copy of the judgement, the statement stated: “Justice Gummi delivered a judgement that can only be described as cunning, patronising and insulting to discerning legal minds.

The judgement fed on deception, pretences and subterfuge. Generally, the panel pretended to uphold the core case of the petitioners but went ahead to somersault against them.

“This they did by wittingly and pretentiously accepting and ruling as follows;

(a) That INEC has powers to make guidelines for the elections including the designation of Card Readers for mandatory use in the elections.

(b) That the non use of card readers and/or non compliance with INEC guidelines is sufficient ground to prove non compliance with the Electoral Act which is a firm ground for cancellation of an election as is the plea of the petitioners.

“Not stopping there, the panel dug deeper and went for the jugular of the petitioners’ case.

The petitioners had through their star witness, Barr Ore Ohimor, testified and placed before the tribunal an analysis of over -voting being a comparison of card readers accreditations per polling units and form EC8A results from the same units.

This analysis which was admitted as an exhibit showed over -voting in 1,847 polling units or 61% of the 3, 329 polling units across the 25 local government areas of the state as captured in the accreditation report. “Over voting in 61% of polling units?

And what did the panel do? In order to help the respondents further, the panel dramatically decided to rule to expunge Barr Ohimor’s analysis from the tribunal proceedings.

And why? That the fatal analysis was only front loaded with the reply of the petitioners to the respondents and ought to have been front loaded with the original petition.

“As you can see from the foregoing, the petitioners lost the case to the panel and not Okowa and PDP, which is why they should be mindful of their celebration which shall be very short-lived. APC Delta state roundly rejects this evil judgement, which was clearly procured by means other than legal.

Our legal teams already have our instructions and we will surely meet Okowa and PDP and test this robbery at the appeal court”