Join me to build Akwa Ibom, Eno tells OBA, Udofia, others after tribunal judgement
• Governor Umo Eno
Itoro Bassey
Pastor Umo Eno, Governor of Akwa Ibom State, on Friday, called on Senator John Akpanudoede, Ezekiel Nya-Etok, Akan Udofia, Emem Coffie, Akpan Jeremiah and Bassey Albert Akpan a.k.a OBA, the petitioners in the just concluded governorship election matter, to join him in building the state for growth, development, unity, and brotherhood.
Eno spoke while reacting to the judgment of the governorship election petition tribunal in Uyo which dismissed the petitions filed by Senator Albert and his party, the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
The governor said, “The Elections Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, following the earlier dismissal of the petitions brought by the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), Governorship candidate, John James Akpan Udoedeghe, Architect Ezekiel Nya-Etok, of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Akpan Jeremiah of the Action Alliance (AA), Emem Coffie of the Accord Party (AP), Obong Akan Udofia of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and today, Distinguished Senator, Obong Bassey Albert Akpan, of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) again unanimously affirmed my victory as the duly elected Governor of our great State.
“I dedicate this victory to you, the people of Akwa Ibom State, who on March 18th, 2023, came out and massively voted for me to usher in the Golden Era in continuation of the giant strides we have experienced in this State, 36 years after creation.
“Let me use this opportunity to thank and celebrate the Nigerian judiciary for the patriotic job they are doing to safeguard and consolidate our democracy. My faith in this critical institution remains rock-solid. As I have always said, politics is over, its time for governance.
“I may have been elected on the platform of the PDP, but I am a Governor for all Akwaibomites, irrespective of political labels. That’s what I promised to do, when I put my hands on the Bible on May 29th, 2023 and took my Oath of Office.
“I urge all Akwaibomites, to keep faith in God who is leading us aright as our State will soon witness a litany of projects across the thirty one Local Government Areas, thus providing jobs for our youths”
Governor Eno’s election as governor of Akwa Ibom StateEno’s was affirmed by the state’s election petition tribunal on Friday.
The tribunal dismissed the petition marked EPT/AKW/GOV/01/2023 instituted by Albert Bassey and his party, the Young Progressives Party (YPP), which challenged the election of the Akwa Ibom state governor.
The unanimous judgement read by Adekunle Adeleye, who led the panel, held that the issue of Eno’s qualification had already been settled by the supreme court.
The tribunal held that the petitioners lacked the locus to challenge how the PDP conducted its primaries to produce a candidate.
Also, the tribunal held that Eno did not submit a forged WAEC certificate as claimed by the petitioners.
According to the court, the WAEC official summoned via a subpoena as PW10 authenticated the certificates.
“WAEC did not disclaim the 1981 and 1983 WAEC certificates. Without a disclaimer by the issuing authority, the certificates remain valid,” the court held.
“There is no legislation in Nigeria that a person’s name should be arranged on a particular order on a document.
“In the absence of any other person holding claims to the said 1981 and 1983 WAEC certificates, I hold that the certificates belong to the 2nd Respondent.
“Even the 1st petitioner himself told the court he was a victim of the same issue as three documents bearing his name tendered as exhibits before the tribunal carried different arrangements of his name, Albert Bassey, Akpan Bassey Albert and Bassey Albert Akpan. This is a case of a pot calling the kettle black.”
Summarily, the tribunal dismissed Bassey’s petition describing it as frivolous and baseless.
On Thursday, the tribunal also dismissed the petition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Akanimo Udofia.
Udofia sought the nullification of Eno’s election on the grounds that he presented forged documents to INEC, and also did not score the highest number of valid votes in the March 18, governorship poll.
Udofia also accused the 2nd respondent of being convicted by an Abuja magistrate court, hence not qualified to be fielded for elections.
However, the tribunal ruled that the allegations of substantial non-compliance with the electoral law in the conduct of the elections were not sufficiently proven by the petitioners in their case.
The panel also ruled that the magistrate court, in its judgment, nullified its earlier conviction of Eno and that once a judgment is nullified, it ceases to exist.
