By Oby Ndukwe
Wike is declared winner and sworn in as governor, but Dakuku is challenging the results of the election at the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal, Abuja.But the PDP says Dakuku was not qualified to contest the election ab nitio. They rely on section 85(1) of the 2010 Ammended Electoral Act which says that a party shall within 21 days inform the electoral body of its planned primaries.
According to the PDP, the APC did not comply with the stipulated time frame, as such, all the candidates for the APC were not eligible for the elections including Dakuku Peterside.
Though the APC has provided certified true copies of their letters to INEC but counsels for PDP and Wike are insisting that the documents cannot be admitted in evidence since counsel for Peterside did not include it in his written defence.
But High Chief Akin Olujinmi in his defence, cited several laws and cases decided by the Supreme Court where the law allows him to present his evidence any how he wants, besides, the law states that an error on the part of a lawyer should not be meted out on a litigant.
While there is palpable fear in the camp of the APC over what would be the ruling of the panel on this motion, there are also misconceptions as to the frivolous motions of the PDP which seems to gravely reduce the 180 days meant for the tribunal to wind up.
While that is on going, many wonder why the APC also failed to challenge the eligibility of Wike for the election. From the documents submitted to INEC before the elections, it is clear that he falsified his age as well as the Tax Certificates. There are also discrepancies in the schools he attended and their actual dates. Surprisingly, Wike swore under oath that he was 52 years in 2014, older than Rotimi Amaechi. The only proof of his age was a sworn declaration of age by one of his brothers, not clear if he is older or younger as it wasn’t stated, that as at the time of the declaration on October 03, 1986, that he resided and hails from Rumuepirikom in Obio/Akpor LGA. Interestingly, as at 1986, Obio/Akpor LGA was not yet created and Rumueporikom was under Port Harcourt LGA. He also declared that when Wike was born in the said 1963, there was no registrar of births in Port Harcourt. This is complete falsehood as those born before then had their births duly registered.
Wike also stated that he only attended a secondary school known as Rivers State School of Basic Studies, Rumuola, Port Harcourt where he obtained the GCE /WASC in 1986 at the presumed age of 23 years! He did not state how many years he spent in that type of secondary school. But it is clear that the said school was only a remedial/ preparatory school and not a secondary school.
These amongst other inconsistencies in his deposed forms clearly show that he may not have been eligible to contest.
The issue is if the APC is ready to tackle him along these lines or did they take for granted the issue of eligibility.?
Until events unfold, it will become clearer who under the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act was actually qualified for the contest.
In the meantime, as it pleases their Lordships. Court!!!!!!
Oby Ndukwe Writes From Portharcourt
