SDP Presidential Candidate: Jerry Gana Drags Duke To Supreme Court

The Social Democratic Party is still yet to have a ‘standard
flag bearer’ of the party in the forthcoming presidential election.
This is because the tussle for the presidential candidature between
former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke and Jerry Gana seem to
have no end yet as the Prof. Jerry Gana Presidential Campaign Team has
moved to challenge the verdict given by the appeal court confirming
Donald Duke as the rightful presidential candidate of the SDP.

Recall that,a New SDP Presidential Candidate Unveiled in Court.

At
a press conference on Friday, the  Prof. Jerry Gana Presidential
Campaign Team spokesperson in Abuja described the judgment of the appeal
court as unacceptable and a miscarriage of justice.

The Court of
Appeal, Abuja division, in a unanimous decision of the panel, on
Thursday recognised Duke at the party’s presidential candidate.

The
three-man panel of the appellate court in a judgment delivered by
Justice Abdul Aboki on the appeal filed by Duke reversed the earlier
judgment of an Abuja High Court which upheld Gana as the party’s
candidate.

Neliaku, who said that the team’s confidence in God
and the avowed integrity of the judiciary remained intact, however,
raised some concerns about the judgment.

The concern according to
him include the role played by the party’s National  Chairman, Chief
Olu Falae,  and what he termed as “obviously unfair and skewed
composition of the Appeal Court panel.’’

He said that while the
chairman had earlier expressed optimism that the judgment was going to
be in favour of Duke, he also alleged that two of the panel Justices
 came from “the home states of either Duke or his running mate.’’

“We
were utterly shocked, dumbfounded and dismayed when the appellant lead
Counsel thanked the Justices for their adventure into other matters not
canvassed by the parties in the Appeal. This absurdity is one of its
kind! ‘

“Arising from the above and many other lacunas and
contradictions in the judgment, we have carefully weighed the views and
options presented by our stakeholders and supporters across the world,
and resolved to accede to what is in the long term interest of our
democracy.

“It is therefore our considered opinion that the
judgment of the Court of Appeal is erroneous, contradictory and a
miscarriage of justice. The decision is therefore not acceptable to us.

“Accordingly, our candidate, Gana, has resolved to appeal the judgment at the Supreme Court.

“We
believe that, apart from setting the records straight and clarifying
matters of Constitutional Order, this will strengthen our electoral law,
enrich our jurisprudence, as well as deepen and widening our
democracy.’’