The People Democratic Party PDP, gubernatorial candidate Sen (Prof) Sandy Ojang Onor, has lost his election petition to Governor Bassey Edet Otu of the All Progressive Congress APC, at the election tribunal sitting in Calabar for lack of merits.
Giving his judgement on Tuesday, the tribunal head, Justice Oken Inneh, in Cross River State, upheld the election of Sen Bassey Edet Otu of APC saying the PDP gubernatorial candidate’s petition was dismissed for lack of proof that the second and third respondents (Sen. Bassey Otu and Rt. Hon. Peter Odey) were not qualified to contest for the position of Governor and Deputy Governor.
But as a skilled Justice, Inneh said that the issue of qualification came up after election and that the complaint of false information ought to have been instituted at the Federal High Court within 14 days as required by law.
The judge on membership of the PDP by the third respondent (Odey), said that the issue of nomination and membership of a party is a domestic affair of a party and is not justiciable.
On his part, counsel to the second and third respondent Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, said the case was as dead as dodo from the outset, and that going further to appeal is like flogging a dead horse.
Counsel to the petitioner (Sandy Onor), Dr Jonah Musa, SAN while reacting to the judgment said that if he is dissatisfied with the judgment he knows where to go and thanked the tribunal for the the way and manner it handled the case irrespective of whether they won or lost.