Rivers Guber Polls: Wike Closes Defence …Tenders Critical Documents To Prove Credible Election ..Says He Has No Interest In Amaechi’s Appointment

Rivers State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Nkpogone Dumnaatah Lucky (left), welcoming Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, to the 2015 World Teachers Day celebration at Isaac Boro Park, Port Harcourt on Monday

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike yesterday closed his case with 24 witnesses at the state Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
Wike, who contested the April 11, 2015 poll as the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, did not attend yesterday’s proceedings to the disappointment of some of his supporters and rivals, who had expected that the governor would wrap up his defence with his personal testimony.
An unusual crowd comprising both the loyalists of the governor and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) had besieged the court in expectation that the governor would appear in court to testify on the last day of his defence as the APC candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, did on the day he closed his own case.
But it only became clear that Wike would not appear before the tribunal yesterday when his lawyer, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), shortly after tendering some documents as exhibits, announced to the Justice Mohammed Ambrosa-led tribunal that the governor’s case had been closed.
Ukala did not call additional witnesses, yesterday.
Wike, within the six days allotted to him, called a total of 24 witnesses.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the first respondent to the petition, through its counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), called a total of 16 witnesses testifying that the April 11 governorship election in Rivers State was peacefully held and credible.
The petitioners, the APC and Peterside, had called 52 witnesses, who had during their time in the witness box, painted a picture of violence and massive irregularities characterising the poll.
Among the last set of witnesses called by Wike earlier on Monday, was a former National   Commissioner of INEC, Dr. Christopher Iyimoga, who testified that contrary to the assertion of the petitioners’ witnesses, the April 11, 2015 governorship election in Rivers State was free, fair and was peacefully conducted.
Meanwhile, part of the documents tendered by Wike’s lawyer, yesterday were copies of the APC notice of primaries to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Certificate of Return presented by INEC to Wike, list of APC agents in the election and organogram of INEC in Rivers State.
Another set of exhibits tendered were copies of stories on the election from two editions of ThisDay newspaper.
Lawyer to the APC and Peterside, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), objected to the admissibility of the documents but indicated that he would argue his reasons for his objection in his final written address.
With the closing of Wike’s case, yesterday, it is now the turn of Wike’s party, the PDP, to open its case.
PDP’s lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), said he would open his client’s case tomorrow as he conceded that today, which he was scheduled to begin his case, should be subtracted from the total of six days allotted to his client.
“We have seen how hard the tribunal is working, so, we wish to donate our tomorrow, Wednesday, to the tribunal. We request that we should be allowed to commence our case on Thursday,” Uche said.
The tribunal Chairman, Justice Ambrosa, acceded to the request and adjourned till Thursday.
The PDP being the last of the three respondents to the petition, at the end of its case, the tribunal will adjourn for all the parties to the petition to adopt their final written addresses, following which judgment will be delivered.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has insisted that he has no interest in the appointment of his predecessor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as a minister.
Wike was reacting to claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he was orchestrating a protest against Amaechi’s expected appointment as a minister.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, in Port Harcourt, Monday, the governor described the claim that he was working against Amaechi’s likely emergence as a minister as spurious and malicious.
He maintained that the appointment of Amaechi had nothing to do with the governance of Rivers State, adding that it was the right of the President to select those that would work with him as ministers.
“It is not only spurious, but fatuous and malicious. Governor Wike has no cause to orchestrate a protest against the appointment of Rotimi Amaechi.
“Let me reiterate for the umpteenth time that the governor has no nexus with the appointment of Amaechi or otherwise. It is the right of the President to appoint anybody of his choice provided such an appointment is in sync with the relevant laws.
“The appointment of Amaechi will definitely have no bearing on the governance of Rivers State. There are crucial issues the governor is more concerned with which are issues of the state and not trifles like the appointment of Amaechi.
“It is apparent that the APC in Rivers State has exhausted its basket of lies and barren propaganda but still wants to be heard or noticed despite its waned popularity in the state,” Wike said.
He condemned the allegation by the APC, adding that the spreading of falsehood as a stratagem by the party had failed.
“Governor Wike’s concern now is to clear the rubbish Amaechi left behind in his eight years of maladministration that impoverished the state and the people.
“Therefore, if the APC is dispensing such unfounded falsehood as a stratagem, it has failed. Or, is the APC distraught that Amaechi might not scale through the screening because of his antecedents?
“If that is the problem, it (APC) should think of how to sort it out and not spread falsehood to gain sympathy. Governor Wike is not interested in Amaechi’s matter because it is inconsequential,” he added.