The five-man panel of the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri this morning unanimously struck out the appeal filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Alex Otti, on the strength of the preliminary objection by counsel to Governor Ikpeazu, Mr. Wole Olanipekun and further dismissed the entire case on merit having found the appeal unmeritorious.

Otti had approached the Owerri appellate court to challenge the decision of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia which refused him extension of time to present more witnesses.

In its ruling this morning, the five-man panel found all the issues raised in the appeal against the appellant and in favour of the respondents and further described the attitude of Otti’s team of lawyers in handling of the tribunal proceedings as tardy and unserious.

•Photo shows Governor Ikpeazu.