Prepare for Rerurn, APC tells Udom, PDP – TheNigerialawyer

The Akwa Ibom State Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Uyo
resumed hearing on Tuesday September 10, 2019 in a petition filed
by Obong Nsima Ekere and All Progressives Congress (APC) Against
Gov.Udom Emmanuel, Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and Independent
National Electoral Commission(INEC).

Lead counsel to the Obong Nsima Ekere and APC, J.S. Okutepa SAN,
while adopting his written address, urged the tribunal to uphold
the petitioners’ petition as points raised are based on merit.

He urged the tribunal to dismiss all the objections of all the
respondents’ and described Akwa Ibom State INEC as Partial
Independent National Electoral Commission (PINEC) for objecting to
documents obtained from them by the order of court and paid for by
the petitioners’.

He urged their Lordships to hold that all documents tendered by
the Petitioners’ complied with the rules of admissibility and were
duly admitted by the Tribunal. And that all documents tendered by
the respondents’ should be rejected as those documents did not
comply with the rules of admissibility as the documents were noty
front loaded as required by law.

On INEC prayer for the dismissal of the petition by the
tribunal, J.S. Okutepa SAN in his response belated INEC for their
partiality and urged the Lordships of the tribunal to grant all the
reliefs sought by the petitioners and to dismissed INEC and other
respondents replies as all their replies are against laws relating
to replies of petitions.

J.S. Okutepa SAN, further submitted that the tribunal should
grant the Petitioners’ petition in the interest of justice, saying
the Akwa Ibom State Governorship election held on March 9,2019 was
not conducted according to Electoral act and called for
nullification of the election for non-compliance with the relevant
laws. He reminded the respondents’ to go and prepare for rerun of
the Governorship election.

Counsel to Udom Emmanuel, Onyechi Ikpeazu SAN, on his part urged
the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit.

In his submissions, Counsel to PDP, Tayo Oyetibo SAN, described
the Petitioners’ petition as “vague” and should be dismissed for
lacking in merit.

INEC counsel, Barr.Sylva Ogwemoh SAN urged tribunal to dismiss
the Petitioners’ petition because according to him,the petition is
apparently irreconcilable.

Chairman of the 3 man tribunal, Justice Yakubu after listening
to the submissions of all counsel, thanked all the counsel for the
cooperation and promised that the tribunal will do justice to all
parties.

Tribunal consequently adjourned to a date to be communicated to
all Counsel for judgement.