Tribunal Delivers Ruling In Tonye Cole’s Petition Against Fubara’s Victory (DETAILS)
| Wisdom Darasimi |
The Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has rejected Mr. Tonye Cole’s petition from the All Progressives Congress (APC) contesting the victory of Siminalayi Fubara from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor of the oil-rich state.
The tribunal’s dismissal stemmed from the fact that the APC, which sponsored Cole, had withdrawn their petition against Governor Fubara’s win.
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Previously, the tribunal in Abuja had dismissed petitions filed by the Labour Party’s governorship candidate in Rivers State, Beatrice Itubo, as well as Innocent Ekwu and the Allied People’s Movement (APM), ruling them lacking in merit.
The tribunal held that Ekwu lacked the legal standing to initiate the petition as he didn’t participate in the Rivers state Governorship election.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, PDP’s Fubara emerged as the winner of the March 18 governorship election, securing 302,614 votes. Meanwhile, Tonye Cole of the APC garnered 95,274 votes. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Senator Magnus Abe, and Itubo secured third and fourth positions with 46,981 and 22,224 votes, respectively.
Unsatisfied with the outcome, the LP, APC, and Ekwu lodged petitions before the tribunal, contesting the results.
