The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has dismissed the petitions filed by Senator John James Akpanudoedehe of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, and Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, challenging the declaration of Umo Eno of the Peoples Democratic Party, as the state governor by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The three-member panel, led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye, issued its verdict on both cases on Wednesday, September 27.
Sen. Akpanudoedehe of the NNPP had in his arguments claimed that Governor Umo Eno was a convict by the Wuse Magistrate Court, Abuja, thereby robbing him of the qualification to have contested the March 18, 2023 governorship election.
He also alleged that the governor was born in Enugu State, even though he declined to show proof of this claim as he neither front-loaded nor relied upon any document to back it.
He therefore prayed the Tribunal to order that the election be cancelled, and a fresh one conducted within 90 days.
But delivering judgment in the suit number EPW/AKS/GOV/03/23, the panel, in a unanimous decision, dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.
Similarly Nyaetok had sought the disqualification of governor Umo Eno alleging that he was convicted by a Magistrate Court in Abuja, and that having been convicted, all votes accrued to him during the March 18 elections ought to be nullified.
He also challenged other candidates who scored more votes than him, alleging that they were handicapped by litigations and legal bars which hampered their eligibility to participate in the elections.
Also delivering judgement on it matter, the Justice Adekunle Adeleye panel held that the same magistrate court presided by Emeka Iyama, delivered a judgment, nullifying its earlier conviction of Pastor Umo Eno and that once a judgement is nullified, it ceases to exist.
The tribunal also held that Nyaetok was not able to establish one polling unit in which there was non compliance with the electoral law in the March 18 Governorship elections.