The Supreme Court, on Thursday, affirmed the election of Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the duly elected governor Rivers State.
The apex court dismissed the case brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Tonye Cole.
The judgement is generally seen as a setback for FCT Minister and former governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, who has vowed to remove Fubara and teach him a lesson.
In unanimous judgement, a five-member panel of the court held that the appeal by Tonye Cole of the APC was unmeritorious.
In the lead judgement, Justice Ibrahim Saulawa held that Cole and the APC failed to prove their case with sufficient evidence.
Justice Saulawa resolved all the four issues identified for determination in the appeal against the appellants.
He proceeded to dismiss the appeal.
Political watchers in the oil-bearing state believe the judgement will strengthen Fubara’s hold as the Chief Security Officer of the oil-bearing state and weaken Wike.