Oby Ndukwe
Just today, the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja ruled on the three Appeals brought before it by the PDP and its Governorship candidate, Gov. Nyesom Wike.
The Respondents had appealed on three grounds: 1. Territorial Jurisdiction 2. Elligibility of Dakuku Peterside, otherwise known as 21 days notice, 3. Inspection of electoral materials.
The appellate court dismissed the issue of whether the tribunal had the jurisdiction to hear the petitions in Abuja rather than in Port Harcourt. The court ruled that the reasons given for the relocation of the tribunal to Abuja were tenable, as no court would sit in such circumstances of violence.
On the No. 2 and 3, the Court ordered the tribunal to give it’s ruling on the motions filed by the PDP and Wike, instead of its earlier decision to reserve ruling during the final judgment.
But the lacuna here is that the former Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Muazu Pindiga has been changed with Justice Ambrosa as the new Chairman.
Though the ruling of the Appeal Court has been over taken by events, considering the recent suspicious change of the former Chairman, it is likely that the APC may appeal against the decision in order to ensure that the PDP and Wike do not capitalise on the issue to cause a further delay of the matter.
Could it be that the removal of Justice Pindiga was a ploy to provide the respondents a lee way to delay the matter?
The drama is becoming more complex even as PDP Radio is said to have gone on air with a biased report.
