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Amaechi Tenure Ends May 2011, Court Rules

A federal high court judge in Abuja, Justice Ibrahim Auta, has ruled that the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, must leave the position of governor next May.

A federal high court judge in Abuja, Justice Ibrahim Auta, has ruled that the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, must leave the position of governor next May.

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Amaechi was installed by the Supreme Court in October 2007 in a bizarre judgement in which the court stated that he was eligible to be governor having won the party primaries. He was asked to take over from Celestine Omehia as a party candidate.

In explaining the ruling, the Supreme Court stated that it is the party that contests elections and that the PDP won the gubernatorial elections, and that, consequently, Amaechi, being the rightful candidate, should assume power as governor.

That argument used by the Supreme Court was at play today in Justice Auta's court where he ruled that since Amaechi was occupying the PDP slot, he should note that the party's tenure ends on May 29 2011.

Lawyers to Amaechi told Saharareporters that they plan to appeal against the judgement.

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Politics