Former chairman of the senate committee on petroleum downstream, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has cried out over the non-release of the judgement and record of proceedings by the Rivers state National and state houses of Assembly election petitions tribunal sitting in Abuja.
Senator Abe said the tribunal is yet to release the copies of its judgement, and records to his lawyers more than six days after judgement was delivered against him and the APC in respect of their petition against the conduct of the senatorial election in the Rivers south east senatorial district held on the 28th of March 2015.
He said the request for release of the judgement is to enable his lawyers study and proceed on appeal within the time-frame of twenty-one days as provided by law.
Senator Abe told newsmen in Abuja that though his lawyers had applied for copies of the judgement delivered against him since TUESDAY OCTOBER 13 2015, the tribunal had yet to act on the application.
He said, “We have only twenty one days to file an appeal against the judgement of the tribunal and the tribunal has already taken more six days out of that for no reason whatsoever, how many days will then be left for me and my lawyers to sturdy the case and prepare the appeal?”
Abe appealed to Nigerians in whatever position they find themselves not to play God , saying that the Rivers state APC is of the view that if the judgement is allowed to stand, it will be an ‘open ticket’ to politicians, and INEC, to do whatever they can to produce results on Election Day, and this should not be the case.
“It is important for the future of Nigeria that we appeal this judgement, the tribunal having delivered its judgement is FUNCTUS OFFICIO IN THE CASE. They should assist and not frustrate our efforts to test the judgement at the appeal tribunal”, he stated.
Senator Abe said he has great respect and confidence in the Judiciary, and pleaded that the judicial authorities intervene to ensure that the quest of the All Progressives Congress for justice in Rivers State is not be 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 lovers of justice to speak up before it is too late’.