Appeal Court Kicks Sekibo Out of Senate, Abe Retain Seat

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the appeal brought before it by Senator George Thompson Sekibo, challenging the decision of the Rivers State National and State Election Petition tribunal which sat in Abuja and nullified his election to the Senate.

The tribunal had in June 2017 returned Mr. Andrew Uchendu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the duly elected senator for Rivers East.

Delivering judgment in the appeal of Sekibo Justice Adamu Jauro held that the petition filed by the ousted Senator lacked merit and substance and consequently dismissed it.

However in another judgment delivered by Justice Habeeb Adewale Abiru,  the Appellate Court upheld the election of Senator Magnus Abe of Rivers South East.

The appeal brought against Abe by Mr. Oloka Johnson Nwogu of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was dismissed for been baseless and lacking in merit.

Justice Abiru said that the issues raised by Nwogu in his petition against Abe’s election were criminal in nature and were not proved beyond reasonable doubt as required by law at the tribunal.

In the judgment in Sekibo’s appeal, the court held that the tribunal was correct in the removal of Sekibo from the Senate on the grounds that the provisions of the Electoral Act and guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were violated in the conduct of the election.

The Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal had in a judgment delivered last June ordered the removal of Sekibo as the Senator representing the people of Rivers East constituency at the National Assembly.

By PRNigeria