A former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Magnus Abe, on Monday said the Rivers State Election Petitions Tribunal has refused to release the judgment and records of its proceedings.
The All Progressives Congress leader told journalists in Abuja that the tribunal had yet to release the copies of its judgement and records to his lawyers more than six days after judgment was delivered against him and the APC.
Abe and the APC had in the petition to the tribunal claimed that the election in Rivers South-East senatorial district which held on March 28, 2015 was marred by irregularities.
According to him, the request for the release of the copies of the judgment was to enable his lawyers study and proceed on appeal within the time frame of 21 days as stipulated by law.
He stressed that although his lawyers had applied for copies of the judgment delivered against him since Tuesday, October 13, 2015, the tribunal had yet to act on the application.
“We have only 21 days to file an appeal against the judgment of the tribunal and the tribunal has already taken an extra six days out of that for no reason whatsoever. How many days would then be left for me and my lawyers to study the case and prepare the appeal?,” Abe queried.
He said the Rivers State APC was of the view that if the judgment is allowed to stand, it would send a wrong signal to politicians and the Independent National Electoral Commission that they could do whatever they want on election day.
He said, “It is important for the future of Nigeria that we appeal this judgment, the tribunal having delivered its judgment is Functus Officio in the case. They should assist and not frustrate our efforts to test the judgment at the appeal tribunal.”
Abe said he has great respect and confidence in the judiciary and pleaded that the judicial authorities should intervene to ensure that the quest of the APC for justice in Rivers State was not frustrated.
“We wish to humbly draw the attention of the President, Court of Appeal and, indeed, all judicial authorities to intervene and direct the tribunal judges to release our records accordingly. As law abiding Nigerians, we draw the attention of the public to this dangerous development and appeal to all the lovers of justice to speak up before it is too late,” he said.
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