PORT HARCOURT, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Governor of Rivers state, on Wednesday, said he disagreed with the Court of Appeal’s ruling against his election and instructed his lawyers to appeal the judgment at the Supreme Court.
This is contained in a statement signed and issued in Port Harcourt by Simeon Nwakaudu, the governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Court of Appeal on Wednesday upheld the ruling of the Election Petition Tribunal that nullified the April 11 governorship election in the state and ordered fresh poll.
According to the statement, the governor disagrees with the judgment, hence his decision to exhaust his constitutional right by challenging the Appeal Court’s judgment at the Supreme Court.
The statement, however, said that Wike called on all his supporters and the people of state to remain calm as justice would be done at the end of day.
”Wike assured the people of the state that he would use all constitutional processes to protect the mandate they freely bestowed on him which informed his decision to approach the Supreme Court for further adjudication.
”The governor said that he still remains the duly elected governor of Rivers State pending the determination of his appeal by the Supreme Court,” the statement said.
It said that Wike assured that all ongoing development projects would continue while his administration would also continue to promote the security of lives and property across the state.
Reacting to the ruling, Chief Austin Opara, former deputy speaker in the House of Representatives and a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), supported Wike on seeking redress at the apex court.
According to Opara, the Court of Appeal judgment is against the mandate of Rivers’ people.
Credit: NAN
