Rivers: Parties Bicker Over Rumoured Tribunal Relocation To Abuja

Some political parties in Rivers State are on a collision course over the rumoured relocation of the Rivers State Elections Petitions Tribunal to Abuja.

A source at the tribunal, who pleaded anonymity because he did not have the authorisation to speak, confirmed the relocation of the tribunal to Abuja to our correspondent on Friday afternoon.

According to the source, “Yes, it is true, we are moving to Abuja hopefully by next week. It is the reason of insecurity mainly, particularly the recent kidnap of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Okey Wali.

“The incident that took place at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Port Harcourt and some political parties also came up. So the office (tribunal) feels that we don’t need to take any chances because life is very precious.”

This came two weeks after the tribunal started receiving petitions from different political parties and candidates in the state, with 76 petitions so far received, challenging the elections won by the Peoples’ Democratic Party.

While the All Progressives Congress said the relocation was cheering to its members, the PDP said it was inconsequential.

Spokesman for the state APC 2023 Governorship Campaign Council, Sogbeye Eli, said it would check the rascality of the ruling party in the state.

Eli stated, “Witnesses coming to testify must be at absolute liberty without any fear of intimidation, threat or harassment.

“Lawyers, who will participate in the trial, must have the liberty to canvas their arguments from the bar. The judges who are sitting in the tribunal must have the unfettered liberty to exercise justice in accordance with the law.”

But the spokesman for the PDP in the state, Sydney Gbara, said the party had nothing to fear because it won the 2023 elections convincingly.