Tribunal Stops Akpabio’s Bid to Stop Election Petition

This Day

8 February 2012

Tribunal Stops Akpabio’s Bid to Stop Election Petition

The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital yesterday dismissed an application by Governor Godswill Akpabio and his Deputy, Nsima Ekere, that sought to stop the hearing of the election petition brought before it by the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator John Akpanudoedehe over the conduct of April 26, 2011 governorship election in the state.

Ruling on the application, the tribunal chairman, Justice C. M. Isola, said the tribunal found no merit in the application brought by Akpabio and Ekere against the hearing of the case on merit and accordingly dismissed same.

The Supreme Court had on November 15, 2011 upturned the judgement of the Court of Appeal, Calabar, which was in favour of Akpabio and his deputy, and ordered a retrial of the petition of the ACN governorship candidate on merit.

When the tribunal sat for fresh trial of the petition, Akpabio, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, and his deputy, filed a motion seeking the tribunal to strike out the petition.