Anambra Governorship: Tribunal Dismisses Petitions Against Obiano

The Anambra governorship election tribunal headed by Justice Ishaq Bello has dismissed all petitions challenging the outcome of the November 2013 governorship election that declared Willie Obiano of the All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) as the winner. Among the petitions dismissed by today’s rulings are those filed by two candidates in the election, Chris Ngige of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Tony Nwoye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Both candidates and their parties had argued that the election should be nullified, citing substantial irregularities and other violations, including the fact that Mr. Obiano had multiple registrations. The tribunal ruled that they had not discharged the burden of proof that Mr. Obiano’s election was improper. Also dismissed today was a petition by Chike Obidigbo, an APGA member, who asked the tribunal to declare him as the party’s rightful governorship candidate. In a report published late yesterday, SaharaReporters indicated that all the legal teams representing the various plaintiffs were taken aback by the tribunal’s sudden notice that judgments would be handed down this morning. Several of the lawyers and legal observers said they were concerned that the tribunal would rush to give judgment when the Supreme Court of Nigeria has set aside tomorrow to hear several appeals arising from the tribunal’s earlier decisions. Lawyers representing the various petitioners told a correspondent of SaharaReporters that they plan to press ahead by filing appeals against today’s verdicts. Justice Bello, who heads the tribunal, has a shady past. Eleven years ago, a panel of Supreme Court justices reviewed his ruling in the case of Bashir Dalhatu vs. Saminu Turaki, declared him a “misfit,” adding that he should not be a judge. The two other tribunal members are Justice Akinniyi Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State Judiciary and Justice John Viko of Nasarawa State.[Saharareporters]