Gov Fubara survives Supreme Court hurdle

The Supreme Court on Thursday validated the election of Siminalayi Fubara as governor of Rivers State.

The apex court dismissed an appeal by the All Progressives Congress candidate in the Rivers State governorship election, Tonye Cole, challenging the declaration of Fubara candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party as winner of the election.

Cole had asked the apex court to sack Siminalayi Fubara as governor of the state.

He alleged that the election was marred by irregularities and that Fubara did not validly resign his previous position as required by the law, before the election.

Both the tribunal and the Court of Appeal dismissed his case for want of merit.

Reading the lead judgment, Justice Ibrahim Saulawa dismissed Cole’s appeal.

The five-man panel in a unanimous decision held that the appellant failed to prove his allegations that there was non-compliance with the Electoral Act during the election.