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Cross Rivers State governor, Liyel Imoke has vacated office in compliance with the Supreme Court's judgment which nullified his continued stay in office along with four other governors.
Imoke's post on Facbook at about 12:47 pm on Friday stated, "This morning the Supreme Court delivered judgment with respect to the first tenure of this administration holding that the tenure ended on the 27th of May 2011. In compliance with the judgment I have vacated office as Governor and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly has been sworn in as acting Governor. The Independent Electoral Commission shall, following the provisions of the law, conduct elections for the office of governor."
In another post at 12:59pm he said, "Once again I appeal for calm and peace in the state."
The Nation
The Supreme Court judgement has been generating varied reactions from people in the state.
Cletus Obun, Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria in Cross River State
For us in the Action Congress of Nigeria, we were ready to face any opponent whether incumbent or not.
However, the judgement shows that the illegalities in this country are coming to an end and the judiciary is beginning to redeem itself from the morass of the last one year. For us it does not matter. We are prepared for anyone. We want a deserving victory.
Patrick Okomiso, governorship aspirant in Cross River State
The Supreme Court judgement has shown that we still have faith in the judiciary. The Supreme Court judges have shown they are men of integrity. Now there would be no power of incumbency in the governor ship elections and it has provided a level playing ground for everyone. There is a ray of hope in Cross River State. The elections would now be on level grounds.
Imah Nsa Adegoke, Labour Party governorship candidate
This development has restored our hope in the judicial system in this country. This judgement has given every one of us a level playing ground. Specifically, the machinery of state that has always been used to subjugate the system would no longer be used in the 2012 election. The Labour Party under my candidacy will produce the next governor of Cross River State.
Dr. Theo Onyuku, chairman Hope Democratic Party in Cross River State
This is a historic judgement. This is an unprecedented judgement. This is a victorious judgement. This is a judgement delivered from God through the Supreme Court judges, the Federal High Court and the Federal Court of Appeal in February and April 2011 respectively. We are finally victorious because we had vehemently and clearly insisted that the tenure elongation given the five PDP governors is mostly illegal, unlawful, baseless, unconstitutional, baseless, unfair, and repugnant to justice, equity, fair play and fairness. This is our stand and we are delighted and excited at this timeous, courageous and God given judgement. This is a glorious chance to change and re-discover our Cross River State.
Utum Eteng, Cross River based lawyer
The Supreme Court judgement has put the law straight from another angle. What this means is that not every null action remains null for all purposes. The judgement was based more on the issue of public policy than on a strict sense of the law because it is not legally possible but generally absurd. The judgment has thrown open some further legal controversies as regards the oaths they have taken and the period they have stayed in office in this period of wrong oath.