To the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, the nullification of his election is merely an opinion of the Election Petitions Tribunal… and nothing more.
Ikuinyi Owaji-Ibani, says he remains the speaker of the state House of Assembly, in spite of his sack and that of 19 other lawmakers.
The sacked Speaker said he has appealed the tribunal’s judgment and he’s certain that the judiciary will vindicate him.
“All I want to say is that ‘I, Ikuinyi Owaji-Ibani, have appealed against the judgment of the lower court and that if it comes to Andoni where I come, I know my people and my people know me.
“Going by the several judgments given by the different panels at the Rivers State Election Petitions Tribunal, I would say that the Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi Owaji-Ibani, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, was not sacked by any election petition tribunal.
“What happened was that a tribunal gave a ruling in its opinion against my election that of 19 other members of the legislature and none of the members were also sacked by the tribunal.
“I’m still the Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly and the other members are still members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”
“In the circumstance, I do not believe that the judiciary as one of the key institutions of the state can subsume itself and allow personal interests to override its very essence, the essence of having the judiciary in the polity to make sure that everyone is equal before the law.”
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