President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, has ordered the relocation of the appeal panel sitting on the Delta State Governorship Election Petition from Benin to Abuja.
A competent source from the Court of Appeal headquarters in Abuja, confirmed the relocation on Wednesday.
The source, however, did not give reason for the decision.
“I can confirm to you that the panel will no longer sit in Benin, it has been moved to Abuja by the President.
“The court will officially communicate this decision to the parties when a date has been fixed for the next sitting of the panel,’’ the source said.
An official of the Court of Appeal in Benin had dropped the hint of the relocation before the confirmation at the headquarters.
A Front Desk Officer at the division, who spoke anonymously, confirmed in Benin that the sitting of the panel had been moved to Abuja.
It will be recalled that the panel had on December 17 concluded hearing in an appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Olorogun O’ tega Emerhor.
The appellants are asking the panel to upturn the verdict of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal for Delta, which upheld the election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The panel had reserved its judgement in the appeal to a date to be communicated to parties.
