The Supreme Court on Friday explained the reason behind its decision to overturn the decision of the Court of Appeal which upheld the election petition tribunal’s decision to nullify Nyesome Wike’s victory at the April 11, 2015 governorship election in Rivers State.

In addition to ruling that the tribunal was unduly constituted, the apex court held that Wike was not given fair hearing at the tribunal and that the chairman of the tribunal, Suleiman Ambursa, who replaced the first chairman, Mu’azu Pindiga, erred in delivering judgment because he was not in charge of the hearing from the beginning.

The court also ruled that Dakuku Peterside, candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that election did not hold in the state, since the onus was on him to do so.

The election tribunal in October 2015 nullified Wike’s election based on Peterside’s argument that there was no election in the state due to the violence that attended the exercise.

The governor appealed that judgement at the Court of Appeal but lost, prompting him to approach the Supreme Court.

The apex on January 27 this year upturned both rulings and declared Wike winner. It, however, announced that it would give the reasons for the decision on February 12.