Akpabio Tribunal Victory Is Victory For All Nigerians – Abak C’ttee Chairman

 

The long awaited ruling of the Tribunal hearing Inibehe Okorie’s election petition against the victory of of Senator Godswill Akpabio, has been delivered – and Senator Akpabio’s victory has been upheld. Dr. Emmanuel Udosen, Abak Local Government Transition Committee chairman describes the verdict of the tribunal as a victory for the entire country.

Reacting to the ruling in a phone chat with publishers of Ibommobile.com, on Wednesday 14^th October, the Abak Local Government Transition Committee chairman, Honourable Dr. Emmanuel Udosen described the verdict of the tribunal as not just the victory of Akwa Ibom people, but a victory for the entire country. He stressed that Senator Akpabio is not only representing Akwa Ibom people, but as Senate Minority leader, he is a voice for all Nigerian people.

The petitioner, Inibehe Okorie had claimed that the number of votes recorded for Senator Akpabio exceeded the number of voters who were accredited, implying that there was no election in the Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial district. The tribunal however dismissed all prayers against the Senator and went a step further, charging the petitioner a fine of N2,500 as cost to the defendant, Senator Akpabio.

Senator Akpabio’s victory at the election tribunal is the next in a series of victories recorded by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. As ruling for the Governorship petition is expected to be delivered in few days, Dr Udosen expressed assurance that as long as the tribunal has confirmed that elections held in the Senatorial districts, federal and state constituencies – contrary to the claims of the All Progressives Congress (APC) – it is easy to infer that Governor Udom Emmanuel won the governorship elections fair and square, and the anticipated ruling will affirm this actuality.

Umana Umana Announces Akpabio's Tribunal Victory

In what was a queer show of acceptance of despair, Umana Okon Umana, the Akwa Ibom APC governorship flag bearer, broke the news of Pdp chieftain Senator Godswill Akpabio's tribunal victory on Twitter, Wednesday 14th October, immediately the ruling was pronounced. With the same breath, he suggested foul play by the Nigerian judiciary - under his party's government, the APC led government.

The petition against the Senator, written by Inibehe Okorie had generated ripples of calumny on social media led by self-admitted APC hired bloggers and spokespersons. They drove the discourse so aggressively that the ruling became widely anticipated all over Nigeria.  

Among other prayers, the APC petition had claimed that the number of votes recorded for Senator Akpabio exceeded the number of voters who were accredited, implying that there was no election in the Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial district. The tribunal however dismissed all prayers against the Senator and went a step further, charging the petitioner a fine of N2,500 as cost to the defendant, Senator Akpabio.

Having recorded victories at the tribunals over petitions written by a grumbling opposition party, all indications point to victory for the remaining tribunal case, that of Governor Udom Emmanuel.