Senator Godswill Akpabio has served declared winner of the Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district election, Chris Ekpenyong, a copy of the petition to appear before the election petition tribunal.
Ekpenyong acknowledged the receipt of the petition from the tribunal’s secretary on Tuesday at his EEMJM hotel, Uyo, the state capital.
But Ekpenyong, who last week received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said he was not perturbed by Akpabio’s summon.
”He (Akpabio) is only embarking on a futile journey to change the course already designed by God,” he said.
He told his teeming supporters to “remain calm as your mandate has been rescued by the divine arrangement for peace, development and even spread of the dividends of democracy to thrive.
“You should not be afraid of Akpabio, your mandate is secured in me. The God that allowed your votes to be counted will stand by us to get justice at the tribunal and in various courts.
“We are ready to defend the will of the people of the people of Ikot Ekpene at all times,” he stressed.
Akpabio, who currently represents Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District (Akwa Ibom North-West), has taken his petition to the state elections petition tribunal.
Counsel to Akpabio, Mr. Sunday Ameh (SAN), filed the petition on the embattled Senator Akpabio’s behalf on March 16, 2019.
Ameh, had penultimate week withdrawn the earlier suit filed at Apo District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja high court, seeking the invocation of an order of mandamus, ordering INEC to review the results of the poll in his Senatorial District due to improper process.
The tribunal sitting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, would soon begin hearing on all post 2019 general elections’ matters.
Akpabio, former Senate Minority Leader, according to a statement by his Media Aide, Comrade Anietie Ekong, is seeking to upturn the outcome of the February 23 National Assembly poll, for which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared Ekpenyong, winner.
In announcing the winner, the Returning Officer (RO), Dr. Nsikak Senam of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) Department of Communication Art, said Ekpenyong polled 118, 215 votes as against Akpabio’s over 83,158.
But Akpabio faulted the results, claiming however, that “incontrovertible result sheets from INEC office showed different figures that I secured 138, 256 votes over Ekpenyong’s 123,843”.
He alleged the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), who superintended over the exercise, colluded with the PDP to pre-determine the outcome in favour of Ekpenyong.
However, the former Deputy Governor, who had last Thursday obtained Certificate of Return (CoR) from INEC in Abuja, maintained he won the poll through a free, fair and credible process and urged Akpabio to accept defeat in good faith.
His counsels, he said, would be at the tribunal to disproof all the allegations that would give the clean bill to effectively discharge his legislative responsibilities at the Red Chamber.
Working with other federal lawmakers, Ekpenyong said his immidiate task would be “to ensure Nigeria works again by allying with the Executive and other arms to address challenges of fixing the country”.
No comments:
Post a Comment