Daily Independent (Lagos)
Ofonime Umanah
27 November 2008
Port Harcourt — The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt has ruled that the name of Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, should be included as a party in the Governorship election petitions, leaving out his predecessor, Celestine Omehia.
It ruled that since the Supreme Court has decided that Amaechi is the proper candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election in April last year, he should inherit all cases filed against the poll.
The decision on Wednesday sparked off confusion on the street, and panic gripped some aides of Amaechi.
They fear the court may annul the election of Amaechi on claims by Bekinbo Soberekon of the Accord Party (AP) that his name was not included on the voters card.
But Amaechi's Chief of Staff, Nyesom Wike, gave an assurance in an interview that there is no cause for alarm, as the Appeal Court is silent on whether the matter should be retuned to the tribunal for a retrial.
"We believe that the rule of law will prevail when the main appeal is heard by the Appeal Court, and Amaechi will come out victorious," Wike enthused.
Regardless, the Appeal Court could refer the case back to the tribunal to give Soberekon a fair hearing in his petition.
On Monday, the Appeal Court struck out the petition filed against Amaechi by Arthur Kalagbor of the African Renaissance Party (ARP) on the grounds that it was done outside the stipulated time.
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