No reason was given for the relocation.

The President of the Court of Appeal, Monica Dongban-Mensem, has directed that the Ebonyi State Election Petitions Tribunal be relocated to Abuja immediately.

The Secretary of the tribunal, Nyior Sekulla announced this in Abakaliki on Wednesday.

He said the tribunal office at the Ebonyi State Judiciary Headquarters in Abakaliki has been shut down from Wednesday, following the directive.

According to him, all processes relating to matters before the tribunal would continue at Abuja.

"In compliance with the HPCA directives, the petitioners, counsel to parties and general public is hereby informed via this medium that, the EPT sitting here in Abakaliki thereby cease to operate in Abakaliki as at 26-04-23; filings of processes, taking of proceedings etc. shall henceforth continue at Abuja".

When asked why the decision to move the tribunal to Abuja, Mr Henry said it was not within his powers to speak on the reasons.

He, however, noted that the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal and that of one other state were also affected.

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State, Ifeanyi Odii, and that of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Bernard Odoh, had rejected the declaration of Francis Nwifuru as the winner of the 18 March election and governor-elect of the state.

Mr Nwifuru, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, had been Governor David Umahi's preferred successor. He is the Speaker of the Ebonyi House of Assembly.

The various political parties were yet to react to the relocation of the election tribunal to Abuja.