PDP govs rejects relocation of Rivers, A’Ibom election tribunals

Firstclass newsline learnt that the Peoples Democratic Party governors
have expressed displeasure over the relocation of the Taraba, Rivers
and Akwa Ibom states' election petitions tribunals to Abuja.
The governors said this at the meeting of the PDP Governors' Forum,
which held in Abuja on Tuesday night.
At the meeting, which ended in the early hours of Wednesday, the
Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, was also elected as the
chairman of the forum.
Mimiko succeeds ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, who
is now a senator.
Addressing journalists shortly after the meeting that started at
9:30pm on Tuesday, Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, said his
colleagues were not happy about the relocation of the tribunals.
"We condemn in very strong terms the relocation of election tribunals
in Rivers State, Taraba State and Akwa Ibom State to Abuja," Ikpeazu
said.
He also announced that "the PDP governors' forum unanimously elected
Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State as chairman of the forum."
The governors said they were delighted at the way former President
Goodluck Jonathan accepted the outcome of the April 11 election and
congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his election.
Ikpeazu said, "We congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on his
election as the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed
Forces.
"We also commend and salute our former President, Dr. Goodluck
Jonathan, for his display of peaceful disposition in the 2015 general
elections, which has stabilised our political landscape.
"We equally congratulate Senator Bukola Saraki, Yakubu Dogara and
Suleiman Lasun on their emergence as the senate president, the
speaker, House of Representatives and the deputy speaker respectively.
"We specially congratulate our own Senator Ike Ekweremadu on his
emergence as the deputy senate president."
The PDP governors' new chairman, Mimiko, who also spoke to
journalists, said, "We will do everything that we can do to engage the
Presidency and the All Progressives Congress in a very constructive
manner. We have also agreed to create formal and informal mechanisms
of peer review, all for the development of our nation."
The governors in attendance at the meeting were, Mimiko, Ikpeazu,
Idris Wada (Kogi), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Udom
Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Darius Ishaku (Taraba).
The deputy governor of Bayelsa State, John Jonah, represented his
state at the meeting.
The other PDP governors that neither attended nor sent representation
were Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State; Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti; Nyesome
Wike, Rivers; Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta and Ben Ayade, Cross River.
Firstclassnewsline.net