The local government election appeal court sitting in Port Harcourt has dismissed a motion for stay of proceeding brought before it by Deemua Ledee Deemua.
It was gathered that the Gokana Local Governement chairman, Hon. Deemua Ledee Deemua made the appeal in respect of his petition filed against him over the local government election that took him to office, which the Congress for Progressive Change (CP), chairmanship candidate, Evang. Festus Legbara, alleged, was not credible
Deemua in his appeal prayed that the upper court should order the lower court not to hear the matter as the time frame has expired.
Deemua also filed another preliminary objection, while the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) likewise appealed in the same matter, praying the upper court to stop the lower court order that RSIEC should produce materials used in the election in question for examination.
While the first appeal was dismissed and referred the case back to the local government petition tribunal for hearing, the second and third appeals were fully debated on the floor of the court and adjourned till December 1st and 2nd for ruling and judgment.
Speaking to the press, Barr. Sylvester Popnen who earlier denied being counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), later confided to the press that they are satisfied with the ruling of the upper court and that they are ready to continue the case in the lower court.
In similar vein, the congress for progressive change chairmanship candidate, Evangelist Festus B. Legbara who described the day as joyous, said they are ready to go back to the tribunal as that was what they were agitating for, adding that the matter must be heard.
He said the CPC is not worried about whether the opponent is splitting the case in the appeal court and in the tribunal for all they are after is that justice must be done.
The evangelist advised his followers to remain steadfast as God will see them through.
The counsel to CPC, Barr. Ayodele Salami, also said the first ruling was alright and that they would go back to the tribunal for hearing of the case and that though the PDP was using their better financial state to torment them, he so much believed in the court and that at the end there would be justice. ###
Mene Gbarabe
