By JIMITOTA ONOYUME
The Election Petition Tribunal in Rivers state has thrown  out the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Sir Celestine Omehia challenging the victory of Governor Chibuike Amaechi at the last governorship election in the state.

Delivering its unanimous judgement, Chairman of the three member tribunal, Justice Abdulahi Mohadded Liman said  “The tribunal must not fail to obey the law. The judgment of the Supreme Court of February 17 is very clear, that the petition must not be retried after 180 days. It is the law and must be obeyed to the letter.

“It will amount to gross judicial impudence to close our eyes to the law. The petition is hereby struck out. The apex court and the legislature may later amend the decision, but for now, we must abide by it.”

It would be recalled that the governorship candidate of the APGA had challenged the victory of Governor Amaechi at an earlier constituted  tribunal where he lost but the Court of Appeal  later ordered a retrial  at the  tribunal based on a petition he  filed  challenging the verdict of the first  Election Petition Tribunal.

The  reconstituted tribunal  yesterday threw out the whole petitions this was after it had struck out some portions  in the petition  about a week ago  on the ground that  those alleged to have committed  certain  crimes during  the election were   not joined in the suit, an act the tribunal said violated the electoral act.