The Cross River State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed the petition brought by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Prof Sandy Onor, against Governor Bassey Otu and Deputy Governor Peter Odey, of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Onor had in the petition alleged that the deputy governor, Odey, swore allegiance as a British citizen.
The tribunal held that issues concerning Otu’s qualification and Odey’s dual citizenship were pre-election matters and therefore statute barred.
The three-man panel of the tribunal sat in Calabar on Tuesday to give final verdict on the petition numbered EPT/CR/GOV/02/2023, filed by the PDP and its candidate to challenge Otu’s election.
In addition to its position that the dual citizenship issue was statute barred, the tribunal held that the petitioners did not show exhibits to prove their case neither were there any averments shown.
The tribunal also ruled that the petitioners lacked the locus standi to raise questions concerning membership of political parties, as the matter was a pre-election issue.
Dismissing the petition without cost, the tribunal upheld Otu’s election as governor of Cross River State.
