Rivers Tribunal Judgment Too Hasty & Embarrassing —Says Mimiko

Ondo State governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, on Monday, said there was hasty judgement delivered by the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja which sacked Governor Nyesom Wike last Saturday.

Mimiko, who stated this in Akure, Ondo State capital while reacting to the last judgement, described it as embarrassing but said PDP would continue to win election in Rivers State even if conducted more than 100 times.

Mimiko frowned at the circumstances surrounding the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal which was not allowed to sit in Port Harcourt, while the chairman of the panel was also removed.

Mimiko said: “We all know the circumstances surrounding the Rivers State tribunal. You recall that for unjustifiable cause, that tribunal was not allowed to sit in Port Harcourt. It was taken to Abuja and along the line, the chairman of the tribunal got changed.”

He said the tribunal continued to sit in Abuja despite challenging its jurisdiction at the Supreme Court and wondered the rationale behind the hasty judgement when the Supreme Court will give judgement in the next few days.

The Ondo State governor noted that written addresses of the two parties were adopted on Thursday, while notice of the judgement was given barely 24 hours after the adoption that the judgement will be given on Saturday.

“The judiciary is supposed to be the last bus stop of common man, for the underprivileged, even the privileged for that matter. Don’t forget, along the line, the DSS arrested the INEC commissioner while the case was going on.

Mimiko, however, said the party leadership would meet soon to take a position on the fate of the opposition over the judgement.

Meanwhile, the battle rages on over the nullification of Wike’s election as the Rivers State governor said the All Progressives Congress (APC) is under illusion if it thinks it can take over the reins of governance in the state.