Tribunal Sacks Speaker, 19 Other PDP Lawmakers In Rivers

Four separate panels of the Rivers State National/State
Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal nullified the elections of 20 seats won
by the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidates in the April 11, 2015 elections.

Among those whose elections were nullified was the Speaker
of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Owaji Ibani, representing Andoni
constituency.

Other constituencies where the PDP candidates’ elections
were nullified are Gokana, Eleme, Obio/Akpor I and II, Eleme, Etche II,
Opobo/Nkoro, Akukutoru I and II, Asari Toru – and II, Bonny, Tai, ONELGA I,
Degema, Khana Iand II, Port Harcourt II and Ikwerre.

The elections of the PDP candidates were upheld by the
tribunals in 11 constituencies. These are Oyigbo, Etche I, Omuma, Ogu-Bolo,
Port Harcourt I and III, ONELGA II, Abua/Odua, Ahoada West, Ahoada East II and
Emuoha constituencies.

Earlier, the tribunal had upheld the election of the PDP
candidate in Okrika constituency.

With Monday’s judgments, the tribunals have upheld the
petitions of the All Progressives Congress and its candidates in 20 out of the
total 32 constituency elections held on April 11, 2015.

It followed that the elections in the rest of the 12
constituencies are affirmed to have been won by the PDP.

Punch