The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Sunday insisted that Nyesom Wike is still the substantive governor of the state despite Saturday’s tribunal ruling nullifying his election.

On Saturday, the Rivers State Tribunal sitting in Abuja in its judgement ordered for fresh governorship elections after asserting that the April 11 polls election was marred by irregularities and violence.

But the Rivers PDP chairman, Felix Obuah, in a statement described the tribunal’s verdict as travesty of justice and rape on democracy, alleging that the ruling was compromised.

He further claimed that the verdict was part of conspiracy by President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, and a gang-up against Rivers people, which he insists will not succeed.

Obuah, who also doubles as the sole administrator of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency, appealed to the people of the state not to entertain fear over the verdict, which he alleged was pre-empted long before it was announced.

He  cited Section 143, subsection 1 of the Electoral Act 2010 which guarantees an elected governor to stay in office and continue to execute his duties as the state chief executive within 21 days following his notice of appeal against the judgement of the election tribunal.

While questioning the hasty verdict of the tribunal, Obuah assured that the PDP will appeal the ruling, insisting the tribunal judgment that will never stand.

“The good thing is that by the hurried judgment, the tribunal chairman has exposed his partiality and shot himself in the leg by defying all legal procedures and going ahead to deliver judgment on the APC petition when there is an impending matter hinging on the appeal at the Supreme Court just as he refused to vacate his seat as chairman of the election petitions tribunal for the State Governorship Election Petitions despite PDP’s resentment on questions of integrity and impartiality,” he stated.