The Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has upheld the election of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in the March 18 gubernatorial poll.
The petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, Patrick Tonye-Cole, wanted the court to reverse INEC decision and declare the APC candidate the winner of the election.
But delivering judgment on Monday, the three-man panel of the tribunal, dismissed Tonye-Cole’s suit, arguing that the national leadership of the APC withdrew from the suit against Fubara.
The tribunal also dismissed the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in Rivers State, Beatrice Itubo against Fubara’s election.
The tribunal also dismissed the petition filed by the governorship candidate of Accord Party, AP, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs.
The court also struck out the petition of the governorship candidate of the Alliance Peoples Movement, APM, Innocent Ekwu, saying it was lacking in merit. It also awarded N500,000 as a fine against the petitioner.
The petitioners had approached the tribunal, challenging Fubara’s victory as announced by INEC.
Justice Cletus Emifonye-led tribunal ruled that the petitioners could not prove their claims.