Advertisement

Responsive Advertisement

Rivers Energy: ‘One elephant out of the road,’ Gov Fubara says of Supreme Court judgement

News


By Comr. Isaac | ICC News Reporting | January 26, 2024

The Supreme Court, on Thursday, affirmed Mr Fubara's election as the governor of Rivers State.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has described the Supreme Court’s validation of his election as a victory for the state.

The Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed Mr Fubara’s election.

A five-member panel of judges led by Ibrahim Saulawa dismissed the appeal filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers, Tonye Cole.

INEC had declared Mr Fubara as the winner of the governorship election, having polled a total of 302, 614 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Mr Cole who scored 95, 274 votes.


FIRS

But Mr Cole, not satisfied with the outcome of the election, filed a petition at the election tribunal demanding the result to be invalidated. He lost at the tribunal.

He also lost at the Court of Appeal before going to the Supreme Court.

Addressing reporters after the court judgment, Mr Fubara said his triumph has laid to rest the legal battles that added to the distractions his administration grappled with in the last eight months.

“It is a victory for the entire state,” the governor’s spokesperson, Boniface Onyedi, said in a statement on Thursday.

“It is important for us to note that we need this victory to consolidate the purpose of governance. Prior, we have had a few distractions here and there.


READ ALSO: Police speak on Rivers crisis, keep mum on attack on Gov Fubara


“And the good news that came to us this morning is a refreshing strength that will encourage us to continue the good works in governance.

“We would address our state very soon on the victory, but for now, let everybody be happy that one elephant is out of the road,” Mr Fubara said.

Apparently referring to the feud with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the governor said, “The other one, by God’s help, will be resolved amicably and the family will be one.”

Messrs Fubara and Wike have been at loggerheads since last October when some lawmakers in the state assembly loyal to Mr Wike attempted to impeach Mr Fubara.

TEXEM Advert

The lawmakers later defected to the APC, a development that prompted a four-member assembly, backed by Governor Fubara, to declare their seats vacant.

President Bola Tinubu later intervened and brokered a controversial peace deal which many said was not only one-sided in favour of Mr Wike but a violation of the constitution.

Despite the criticisms that trailed the peace deal, Governor Fubara said he would implement them, and that it was not a “death sentence”.