Supreme Court verdict ends legal battle, tension in Rivers

Following the Supreme Court ruling of Wednesday, residents of Rivers State can now heave a sigh of relief and return to their normal routines. This is because the seven months of legal battle on who occupies the Brick House, the Rivers State seat of power, paralysed many activities, just as it polarised the state.

The judicial battle between the two political gladiators, Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Dakuku Peterside of the All Progressives Congress (APC) heightened political tension and polarised the state.



There were violent acts across the state with cultists and kidnappers terrorising residents. Scores of lives were lost while the PDP and APC traded blame on who was responsible for the violence.




But Wednesday’s Supreme Court verdict which upheld the election of Governor Nyesom Wike in the April 11 governorship election has brought to an end the several months of legal battles. Wike was declared winner of the election having polled over one million votes, but Peterside claimed that the election was manipulated  in favour of Wike and headed for the court.


The matter which moved through the tribunal to the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court, saw the apex court setting aside the earlier judgement of the Rivers State governorship election petition tribunal which sat in Abuja and the Court of Appeal, Abuja division which both nullified the election that produced Wike and ordered a re-run. In a lead judgment read by Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun, the court said it would give reasons for its judgement on February 12.


The APC in the state received the judgment with shock as it had expected that having scaled through the tribunal and Appeal Court, it would secure victory at the Supreme Court as well. Leaders and supporters of APC were already in a festive mood and had even rolled out drums to celebrate the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the appellate court’s verdict.


Our correspondent gathered  that arrangements for canopies were made while musicians were hired and various venues and locations were designated for the celebration.


Dakuku Peterside’s running mate, Asita O. Asita, had in a press statement issued on Tuesday,  warned Wike  and his  supporters not to contemplate looting the state’s treasury on the sideline of the verdict which he thought would favour them.


  A new sobriquet of “the incoming governor”, “the governor in waiting” were added to Dr Dakuku Peterside’s  titles  by the party supporters while Wike was given titled such as “the caretaker governor”.


Peterside and the APC leadership in the state also set up various committees such as transportation, logistics, communication and publicity, contact and mobilization in preparation for the re-run election. Over 700 PDP members last week defected to the APC.



But the Supreme Court verdict shattered the APC’s dream of occupying Brick House. The verdict is also a big blow to the former governor of the state and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, who is said to be Dakuku Peterside’s god-father and sponsor of APC in the state.
An unconfirmed report had  it that the former governor expended huge sums of money in his quest to recapture Rivers State  for APC.


Wike and his supporters are still basking in the euphoria of their victory at the apex court and he has extended a hand of fellowship to Peterside to join his administration in building “one united Rivers State”.


However, there is still one huddle before him; the 22 state House Assembly seats which were nullified by the election petition tribunal.  Should the governor lose control of the assembly,  those opposed to his administration could hijack the legislature and make governorship difficult for him.


The election tribunal  had  nullified 22 out of  32  Assembly seats occupied by PDP members. INEC had fixed February 6th for the House of Assembly re-run election.


Governor Wike in his state wide broadcast enjoined Peterside and APC members in the state to join hands with him to develop Rivers.
“We the people of Rivers State are beneficiaries of justice in the true measure. We salute the courage and determination of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the rule of law in our democracy.


Throughout this journey, I have severally reaffirmed our confidence in the independence and integrity of the judiciary as well as its unassailable role as the last hope of the common man . History will continue to vindicate the just. We humbly acknowledge that our quest for inclusive government would further be enhanced when we have more good hands on deck.


“We salute Dakuku Peterside, my friend and APC governorship candidate for his courage in fighting his cause to the end. Now that the battle is over, the interest of Rivers State should be primary in all our considerations and actions,” he said.


Peterside on his part seems to have accepted Wike’s hand of fellowship, but with a caveat, that APC in the state would use constructive criticism to check the policy actions of the administration.


    
The APC governorship candidate in a press statement issued in Abuja noted that the decision of the apex court was a departure from the earlier findings of the Rivers State governorship election petition tribunal and the Court of Appeal which he said “had both agreed with us that the conduct of the April 11, 2015 elections failed to comply substantially with the requirements of the Electoral Act”.
He said the decision marks the culmination of a legal battle the party  instituted  against “the virus of electoral violence” that often thwarts the will of the people.


He said APC was grateful to God for directing them  to pursue justice in the courts rather than resort to self-help, adding  that “we magnify our God for giving us the will and the support of Rivers people to maintain the legal battle”.


He said his party  fought a good fight and won some of the legal battles along the way.
He said: “The Supreme Court differed from our position. Still, we thank God for giving us the stoicism to accept the verdict. Indeed, our God deserves praise for reminding us that as His children we should respect and honour even our earthly authorities. It is a further reminder that His will is best in all things for His glory and the greater good of humanity.


“We thank Nigerians, especially Rivers people who stood by us during this legal odyssey spanning approximately 10 months. We urge all our supporters to take a cue from us in accepting this verdict. We invoke in you the spirit of stoicism and compassion.


Even if you are taunted by people who do not understand the ways of God, keep calm and be motivated by the greater good in all your actions.
“Our decision to serve Rivers State was borne out of a passion to uplift our people; to clothe them with dignity on the twin planks of social and economic prosperity.


We anchored this promise on the platform of unity. Consequently, we never ceased to remind ourselves that we are “greater together.  A Supreme Court verdict that goes against our prayer is a veritable opportunity to demonstrate how dearly we hold the greater together creed,” Peterside said.


PDP on its part said it is ready to welcome APC members who would like to come into its fold. The party in a statement issued by its state chairman, Felix Obuah, urged members of APC in the state to accept and take advantage of Governor Wike’s call and invitation for collective efforts to move the state forward “by joining PDP”.


He charged PDP ward chairmen to accept APC members willing to join the party and assured  APC members that due respect would be accorded them.
With the governor’s speech and Peterside accepting the hand of fellowship, it is hoped that supporters of both parties will now sheath their swords and allow peace to reign in the state.