Tribunal assures of fair ruling in C/River guber election petition

The 2019 Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Cross River State has assured of a fair ruling in the matter brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator John Owan Enoh, challenging the election of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ben Ayade, as governor of the state.

Counsels to both candidates had presented addresses which were adopted by the tribunal and accordingly reserved ruling on a date which will be communicated to the parties.

Mr Paul Erokoro  counsel to Senator Ben Ayade, the first respondent and Mr Ademola Adeshina, counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in their  addresses, maintained that the APC is in crisis in the state.

He said the crisis within the party foreclosed it from fielding a credible candidate for the election and accordingly urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition since, according to him, “the internal crisis in the party cannot stop the conduct of the election and the victory of the PDP.”

Meanwhile, counsel to the petitioner, Mr Kaku Awa, in his address, asserted that though the state chapter of the APC is enmeshed in crisis, it did not stop the national leadership of the party from choosing the flag bearer to contest the election in the state.

The tribunal chairman, Justice Josiah Moremi, expressed joy with the peaceful conduct of the counsels and witnesses, assuring that the Tribunal will be fair in its ruling. He announced that parties would be informed on date for the ruling.

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