BY NSAN NDOMA-NEJI, CALABAR
Cross River State governorship elections petition tribunal sitting in Càlabar, yesterday upheld election of Gov. Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River State, dismissing the petition of PDP candidate Senator Sandy Ojang Onoh for the Gov’s hip election saying Onoh’s petition lacks merit.
The tribunal led by Justice Oken Inneh stated that People’s Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate PDP petition lacks merit meaning that the petition cannot withstand the fast of time and therefore is dismissed.
According to the election petition tribunal stated that the Petition filed by Gov’ship candidate of the PDP failed to prove that the second and third respondents (Bassey Otu and Peter Odey) are not qualified to contest for the seat of governor and deputy governor.
The election petition tribunal averred that the issue of qualification is a post election matter adding that the complaint of false information ought to have been instituted at the Federal High Court within fourteen days as required by law of the federal republic of Nigeria.
On the issue of membership of the PDP by the third respondent, justice Inneh stated that the issue of nomination and membership of a party is a domestic affair of a party and is not justifiable .
Reacting, counsel to the PDP governorship candidate, Dr. Jonah Musa, SAN lauded judgement of the tribunal notwithstanding the fact that the candidate of tbe PDP lost or won the case.
Counsel to the PDP stated that he has nothing to say concerning judgement of the tribunal stressing that he knows where to go especially if he is not satisfied with the judgement.
Speaking with with newsmen in Calabar shortly after the tribunal judgment, Prof. Mike Ozekhome who is a counsel to the second and third respondent hailed judgment of the tribunal for standing on the side of justice.
“The case is as dead as dodo from the outset and that going further to appeal is like flogging a dead horse” Ozekhome stated.
