Court To Hear All Appeals On Akwa Ibom Guber Poll Today

A recent report from the News Agency of Nigeria has disclosed that a special panel of the Court of Appeal constituted to hear and determine all appeals relating to and emanating from the Akwa Ibom state governorship tribunal will be sitting today, Tuesday, December 8.

In line with the four appeals before the panel, the agency reports that the special panel will hear all applications as well as arguments on briefs already before it. The appellants and respondents would also be expected to adopt their briefs.

All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in state governorship election, Umana O. Umana’s appeal No. CA/A/EPT/ 656C/2015 will be heard on the brief presented by his legal team led by Chief Wole Olanipekun.

There had been an uneasy calm which enveloped the residents of Uyo in late October, following the final verdict which was passed concerning the petition against the Akwa Ibom state governor of the Peoples Democratic Party, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, at the state governorship election tribunal.
The Justice Sadiq Umar-led tribunal which sat in Abuja had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct rerun election in the 18 out of 31 local government areas of the state.

Giving its verdict on a Wednesday, October 21, the tribunal had said it was satisfied that there were discrepancies during the governorship election held on April 11.

Thus, the special panel sitting today was said to be set to look into the issues such as the propriety or otherwise of cancelling elections in the said 18 local government areas.

The court would also determine whether or not Umana was duly nominated by his party to contest the election.

At the end of the proceedings, the panel would announce a date for judgment, the report revealed.
Meanwhile, despite pleas by the campaign council of Governor-elect Yahaya Bello, the APC deputy governorship candidate in Kogi state, James Faleke, has said he would not make himself available for swearing in on January 27, 2016.

loading...